Acquisition‐Hungry Premier Swallows RHM*

Abstract

Premier Foods was successful in becoming the UK's largest grocery supplier in early 2007 after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the UK competition authority, approved its £1.2 billion purchase of RHM. The merger means that iconic brands often found in British kitchens, such as Hovis breads, Lyons cakes, Bird's custard, Branston pickle, and dozens of other well‐known products, will now be manufactured by the same food group. * This is a revised version of an article that first appeared in the European Competition Law Review [2007] ECLR 433. Reprinted with permission of Sweet & Maxwell and the author. ** Gavin Murphy, Legal Counsel, International Development Group, Department of Justice of Canada, Ottawa. Mr. Murphy worked at the Office of Fair Trading in the 1990s. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Law Bulletin. Gavin Murphy examines the OFT's merger assessment.