Acquisition of Wedel approved

2010-08-23

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) approved the acquisition of Wedel, the Polish confectionery brand, by Lotte Group, the Japanese-Korean food giant. The transaction will not lessen the competitiveness on the market and a total share of both companies in the confectionery market in Poland will not be higher than 40%, as the Office stated.

Wedel was sold by Kraft Foods, which acquired the Polish brand along with a takeover of Cadbury, a British confectionery concern.

Thanks to the acquisition, Lotte, which has not yet been present on the Polish market, will achieve a position of a runner-up in the chocolate market in Poland in terms of value, where Wedel has a 24% share. The leader in the segment is Kraft Foods, with a 34% share.