Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves planned acquisition of Chips by Orkla, subject to conditions

The European Commission on 4 March 2005 granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the proposed acquisition of Chips by Orkla. The Commission's investigation highlighted some concerns in certain sectors of the Finnish convenience foods market, but Orkla was able to address these concerns by offering to terminate some of its current distribution arrangements. In the light of these commitments, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it and has therefore approved the concentration.