RUSSIA: Authorities give conditional green light to Carlsberg Baltika buy

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 19 March 2008

The Russian competition commission (FAS) has given the green light to Carlsberg's plan to acquire complete control of the country's brewer Baltika. However, there were conditions.

Baltika is owned by Baltic Beverage Holdings, the joint venture between Carlsberg and Scottish & Newcastle. Carlsberg is currently attempting to acquire S&N in a deal with Dutch brewer Heineken. As part of the deal, the Danish brewer will take complete control of BBH.

In a statement yesterday, FAS said that because Carlsberg and Baltika will have a combined share of more than 35% the Russian beer market as a result of the deal there were rules if competition restraints were to be avoided.

The statement continued that Baltika will have to give FAS two months' notice of any planned increases or cuts in its beer prices by more than 10%. Furthermore, Balitika will not be allowed to impose limitations on beer sales or refuse to supply beer on any unjustified economic or technical grounds.

Sectors: Beer & cider

Companies: Carlsberg, Baltika, S&N, Heineken