Green light, subject to conditions, to the merger of Coopérative Dauphinoise and Terre d’Alliances

Agricultural cooperatives Coopérative Dauphinoise and Terre d’Alliances notified the Autorité de la concurrence of their planned merger.

The Autorité identified a certain number of risks that may harm competition in the markets in cereal, protein and oilseed crop collection and retail distribution of gardening, DIY, landscaping and pet products.

To address these competition concerns, the parties have submitted commitments:

• They undertake to divest themselves of five facilities for cereal, protein and oilseed crop collection;
• In the garden centre retail distribution sector, in view of the particular circumstances of the case, the parties undertake, in accordance with the principle of the sunrise clause, to submit for prior approval by the Autorité de la concurrence any strategic decision (for example, certain changes of brand) relating to one of the stores where the business of the parties overlap, thus influencing the structure of competition in the catchment area of the store concerned.