UK antitrust body says satisfied with “remedy” over Murco purchase

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on February 16 it is satisfied with the remedy offered by Motor Fuel Limited and will allow the completed acquisition of 228 fuel stations after it recently conditioned approval to the sale of a filling station located in the Hythe area in Kent.

“Under the undertakings, MFL agrees to divest one petrol station and related assets, including a grocery outlet, by way of the sale of the freehold property. Before the acquisition, the site to be sold had been owned by Murco,” the authority said.

“The CMA did not receive any concerns in response to its public consultation, and is satisfied that the undertakings will resolve the competition concerns identified,” it said.

Late last year the competition authority had said that it was going to approve the transaction but that it had concerned about just one particular location because it was located too close to others related to the group. It had offered at the time MFL to come up with a solution.