Coca-Cola Enterprises has rejected claims that its deal with Coca-Cola Co may not be in the best interests of the bottler’s shareholders.

Coca-Cola Enterprises is facing a possible lawsuit from California-based law firm Robbins Umeda.

The group has said that it is investigating “possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by the officers and members of the Board of Directors of Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE)”.

Its statement came after Coca-Cola announced that it would acquire the North American operations of CCE, in a deal worth around $12bn. Around $4bn will be distributed to current CCE shareholders, as part of the deal.

CCE has strongly rejected accusations that the deal is unfair.

However, a report in today’s Atlanta Journal Constitution said that several law firms are looking into the deal.

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Meanwhile, the paper said, CCE shareholder Robert Lang has already filed lawsuit against the bottler, alleging that the deal does not offer fair value to CCE shareholders.

Commenting on the suit and Robbins Umeda investigation, a spokesperson for CCE told just-drinks last night (2 March): “This proposed suit is totally without merit.”

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