Tesco is ready to battle a last ditch challenge to its proposed purchase of the London-based Europa, Harts and Cullens stores.

Trade body the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) has lodged an appeal with the Competition Appeals Tribunal to try to block the deal.

Tesco was cleared to buy the covenience stores from their parent company Adminstore by the Office of Fair Trading on March 5.

The FWD has countered by claiming that the deal would be bad for both consumers and competition in the UK market.

Tesco plans to buy the 45 stores for £53.7 million as part of its policy of increasing the number of its smaller Express outlets.

Alan Toft, director general of FWD, said that the deal would effectively mean that "Tesco will virtually buy London with this acquisition".

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