German retailers Tengelmann and Edeka have applied for special ministerial consent as they try and push through Edeka's acquisition of grocery chain Kaiser's, Fruchthandel has reported.
An application for ministerial approval was put forward on 29 April to the Federal Minister for Economic affairs.
German competition watchdog Bundeskartellamt had stepped in at the beginning of April to block the move by Edeka to purchase Kaiser's.
'We are convinced that the actual macroeconomic benefits of our proposed merger far outweigh the antitrust criticisms of the Bundeskartellamt,' said Tengelmann's Karl-Evian Haub. 'This applies especially to the needs of workers whose jobs have been secured comprehensively through the merger. We have therefore opted for the step of ministerial approval.'
A deal was originally struck between Edeka and Kaiser's owner Tengelmann in October of last year.
