ABF / Hovis merger inquiry
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views on the anticipated acquisition by Associated British Foods plc (through ABF Grain Products Limited) of Hovis Group Limited.
Statutory timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| TBC | Deadline for phase 1 decision |
| TBC | Launch of merger inquiry |
| 18 September to 2 October 2025 | Invitation to comment (*) |
(*) The CMA is inviting comments from any interested party. This case page will be updated when the CMA formally commences its phase 1 investigation.
Phase 1
Invitation to comment: Closes 2 October 2025
18 September 2025: The CMA is issuing this preliminary ‘invitation to comment’ to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK. The CMA has not yet launched its formal investigation into this transaction. This invitation to comment is the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process.
To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.
Written representations about any competition issues should be provided by the deadline set out above.
Contact
Please send written representations about any competition or public interest issues to:
- ABFGrainProducts.Hovis@cma.gov.uk
- Principal Case Officer: Darren Gysi, darren.gysi@cma.gov.uk
Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice.