Co-operative Group / Southern Co-operative merger inquiry
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the completed acquisition by Co-operative Group Limited of The Southern Co-operative Limited.
Statutory timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 15 September 2026 | Phase 1 decision announced |
| 30 July 2026 | Launch of merger inquiry |
| 23 July 2026 | Initial enforcement order |
| 4 June 2026 | Invitation to comment |
Phase 1
Reference unless undertakings accepted
15 September 2026: The CMA has decided, on the evidence currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for an in-depth, phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer an acceptable undertaking to address these competition concerns. The full text of the decision will be published shortly.
- (15.9.26)
Launch of merger inquiry
30 July 2026: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.
- (30.7.26)
Initial enforcement order
23 July 2026: The CMA has served an initial enforcement order (IEO) under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 on Co-operative Group Limited and Siena Co-operative Limited.
- (23.7.26)
Amendments and consents granted
- (30.7.26)
- (30.7.26)
- (30.7.26)
- (19.8.26)
- (19.8.26)
- (2.9.26)
- (2.9.26)
- (15.9.26)
Invitation to comment
4 June 2026: The CMA issued this ‘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. The 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.
Pre-notification
4 June 2026: The CMA has received the necessary information from the parties to commence pre-notification.
Contact
Please send written representations about any competition issues to:
- coopgroup.southerncoop@cma.gov.uk
- Jeremy Chan, Principal Case Officer, jeremy.chan@cma.gov.uk, 020 3738 6784
Privacy notice
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 read our personal information charter.
Updates to this page
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Summary of phase 1 decision and derogation published.
-
Derogations published.
-
Derogations published.
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Commencement notice and derogations published.
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Initial enforcement order published.
-
First published.