The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has granted approval for the takeover by Roust Trading of control over the Central European Distribution Corporation – producer of Bols, Żubrówka, Soplica and other vodkas

Roust Trading belongs to the Russian Standard Group – a capital group producing and distributing alcoholic beverages, mainly premium vodkas, and engaged in banking and insurance. The Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) and its subsidiaries make up a capital group which is engaged in the production of vodka, including Absolwent, Żubrówka, Bols and Soplica brands. As a result of the concentration, Roust Trading will take control over CEDC by acquiring most of its shares.

Upon completion of the antitrust proceedings, the President of UOKiK concluded that the concentration would not result in significant restriction of competition.

As required by law, a transaction must be notified to the antitrust authority when the previous year’s combined aggregate turnover of all the undertakings concerned was more than EUR 1 billion globally or more than EUR 50 million in Poland.

Please also note that information on all concentration-related antitrust proceedings conducted by UOKiK is available on its website.

Concentration approvals expire if concentration does not take place within 2 years of the approval issue date. The website of UOKiK provides information on all concentration-related antitrust proceedings conducted by the Office. For more information on the rules for the merger of undertakings, please consult a specially prepared compilation.

Additional information for the media:  
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson of UOKiK
Department of International Relations and Communication
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa
Tel. 22 827 28 92, 55 60 314, 55 60 430

Fax 22 826 11 86
E-mail: [SCODE]bWFsZ29yemF0YS5jaWVsb2NoQHVva2lrLmdvdi5wbA==[ECODE]