Somerfield is fighting back against competition bosses claims that its acquisition of 14 Morrisons stores damaged local competition.
The Competition Commission ruled that the 14 stores, part of a deal which saw Somerfield pick up 115 former Safeway stores from Morrisons, “may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition in 14 local grocery retail markets”.
However, Somerfield has hit back in its response, arguing there are no adverse effects from the deal and said there were “serious flaws” in the Competition Commission’s methods.
A statement said: “The evidence before it of Somerfield’s behaviour… provides the strongest possible indication that there will not be any, or at least any significant, adverse affects resulting from the merger.
“The CC has given no reasons why Somerfield’s practices in the identified local markets are likely to differ from those already found in the real world. Somerfield therefore considers that the CC’s analysis is legally as well as economically defective.”
