Market research/opinion polls: the Autorité clears the acquisition of Xpage Group by IPSOS, without conditions

The parties to the transaction

IPSOS is a French polling company founded in 1975 by Didier Truchot, its current Chairman, and is active more broadly in the market research sector. In particular, it markets survey-based research in a range of sectors for companies and institutions. It has an international presence in around 90 countries.

XPage Group is the holding company of the BVA group, founded in 1970 by Michel Brulé and Jean-Pierre Ville, who gave their names to the company: “Brulé, Ville et Associé” (BVA). Like IPSOS, BVA is active in surveys and market research in a number of sectors in many countries.

The Autorité de la concurrence ruled out any risk of harm to competition linked to the transaction in the markets concerned

In this transaction, the Autorité focused on customised market research services, i.e. research based on dedicated, tailor-made surveys carried out at the specific request of companies, institutions or public establishments, generally via a call for tender.

Following an investigation which involved consulting the main competitors of IPSOS and BVA, the Autorité did not identify any anticompetitive risks in the markets in which the companies compete.

Whatever the market definition used, the combined market share of the parties to the transaction is below 25%, a threshold below which the markets concerned are presumed not to be affected.

In addition, the investigation found the existence of numerous competitors in the relevant markets, including global operators (such as Kantar, IQVIA and Nielsen IQ) and recent entrants (such as Qualtrics, Medallia, Yougov, Behaviorally and Cluster 17).