• Kaufland Polska Markety has withdrawn the application to be granted permission to take over the commercial space used by the hypermarket E.Leclerc in Kielce.
• Earlier, the President of UOKiK presented his objections to the concentration, indicating that the transaction might lead to limited competition in the local market.
• It would be detrimental to the consumers in Kielce and competition between businesses. 

The concentration was to mean the acquisition by Kaufland Polska Markety of a portion of the assets of Wanship, that is the shopping facility in Pasaż Świętokrzyski in Kielce where the E.Leclerc store operates.

In this case, it was necessary to conduct a market survey and verify the data presented by the acquiring company in its application for approval of the transaction. The proceedings were referred to stage II and, according to the conducted analysis, the concentration may have lead to a restriction of competition. The President of UOKiK presented the entity his objections and, as a result, Kaufland Polska Markety withdrew the application.

- The concentration might have resulted in a restriction of competition in the local retail market for daily consumer goods in hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores. Negative effects for consumers could have included i.a.: restriction of freedom to choose a retail chain in which the consumers wanted to do their shopping - says Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK.

According to the Act on Competition and Consumer Protection, a transaction shall be notified to the antitrust office if it involves entrepreneurs whose aggregate turnover in the preceding year exceeded EUR 1 billion worldwide or EUR 50 million in Poland. 

In cases where there is a reasonable likelihood that competition will be significantly restricted as a result of company consolidation, the President of the Office presents his objections concerning the planned transaction to the entrepreneur or entrepreneurs participating in the consolidation.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL