ABP acquisition of Scotbeef being investigated

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced it is to investigate acquisition of Scotbeef’s sites in Bridge of Allen and Glasgow. CMA also made an initial enforcement order dictating that the Scotbeef business must be operated separately from the ABP group.

That means that the Scotbeef business operates separately from ABP, competing directly in the market including in the procurement of livestock, pending the outcome of the CMA investigation.

The existing management structure and all of the assets of the Scotbeef business are to be retained under the terms of the initial enforcement order served on ABP.

Responding to a query from the Irish Farmers Journal, a spokesperson said that “ABP recently announced the acquisition of the Bridge of Allan abattoir and Queenslie meat packing plant from Scotbeef. The two facilities are expected to become part of the company’s UK meat division following the CMA’s review and we await the outcome of that process.”