ACM clears acquisition of Deen supermarket locations by rival supermarket chains Albert Heijn, Vomar and DekaMarkt
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has cleared the acquisition of 80 locations of Dutch supermarket chain Deen by rival supermarket chains Albert Heijn, Vomar Voordeelmarkt and DekaMarkt. These three supermarket chains face sufficient competition from other chains. ACM has granted clearance because Albert Heijn decided not to acquire the Deen location in the northwestern town of Tuitjenhorn. In that way, residents of Tuitjenhorn and another town will continue to have an alternative.
Most of Deen’s locations are in the western province of North-Holland. Albert Heijn will acquire 38 locations of Deen, Vomar Voordeelmarkt will acquire 23 locations, and DekaMarkt will acquire 19 locations.
In its assessment, ACM would have identified an anticompetitive concern if the Deen location in Tuitjenhorn had gone to Albert Heijn. Residents of Tuitjenhorn and the town of Warmenhuizen would not have had any alternative. That is why Albert Heijn and Vomar Voordeelmarkt changed the distribution of supermarket locations between the two of them. The Deen location in Tuitjenhorn will not be converted into an Albert Heijn location but rather into a location of Vomar Voordeelmarkt.