The Competition Commission has given unconditional approval to The Coca-Cola Company to acquire two products from SABMiller subsidiary Appletiser South Africa.
This follows a number of industry objections to the sale of the Just Juice fruit juices and Valpré bottled water lines being sold to Coca-Cola, which has the lion’s share of the carbonated soft drinks industry in the country.
The commission looked into the possible increase in concentration levels, leveraging of power and other anti-competitive practices.
Manager of the Mergers & Acquisitions Division, Nkonzo Hlatshwayo said: “The Commission was, in the end, satisfied that these concerns were unfounded and that despite TCCC gaining market share, the acquisition by TCCC of Just Juice and Valpré bottled water would not lead to a substantial lessening or prevention of competition.”
