The takeover of the 96-store Plus chain in Romania will take
German group LIDL&Schwarz to a market share of 65% on the
discount retail segment in Romania, where it already operates the
Kaufland hypermarket chain.
Will it be given the green light from the Competition Council
under the circumstances?
Market sources say the transaction, announced in February,
stands chances of being cancelled, but representatives of the
competition authority say it is too early to give a verdict.
A few days ago, the European Commission transferred the
procedure of evaluating the acquisition of Plus stores by LIDL to
the Competition Councils in Romania and Bulgaria.
LIDL representatives did not provide comment on the subject by
the time this issue was ready for print.
The deal, put by market sources at around 300 million euros,
is the first move officially announced by hard discount operator
LIDL in Romania, which has been preparing the opening of its first
stores on the Romanian market for several years.

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