Anne Main raises concerns about possible store closures after the proposed merger of Sainsbury’s and Asda

30th April 2018

Speaking following a Government statement on the proposed merger of Sainsbury’s and Asda, Anne Main asks about possible store closures citing the Competition and Markets Authority’s requirement that 53 stores be closed when the Safeway-Morrisons merger occurred in 2003.

The Minister said that he had a conversation with Mike Coupe about store closures this morning. Given that the CMA insisted that 53 stores were offloaded when the Safeway-Morrisons merger occurred in 2003, how can Mr Coupe give the Minister such an assurance, and what does the Minister have to say about that?

I thank my hon. Friend for that very important question. The reassurances I was given this morning were, first, that there would be no store closures; and, secondly, that the head offices of both Sainsbury’s and Asda would remain open. Those are both very positive things. My hon. Friend mentions the forced sale of particular branches, and that is clearly a matter for the Competition and Markets Authority. When Sainsbury’s and Asda move on to the phase 2 investigation, they will get down to the granularity of the merger’s impact on particular villages, towns and cities. If there is a feeling that it will cause a lack of competition in the marketplace, the CMA has the power, when making a decision, to force the sale of stores to competitors to ensure that there is greater competition for the consumer.

Hansard

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