Commission refers the acquisition of Pini Polonia by Smithfield to the Polish competition authority

Further information:

Smithfield Foods and Pini Polonia notified the transaction to the European Commission in November 2017. On 15 December, UOKiK requested that the Commission refer to it the assessment. UOKiK put forward competition concerns in certain Polish markets related to pig slaughtering. It also claimed that it would be well placed to review the competition effects.

The evidence gathered by the Commission confirmed that the proposed transaction would only affect competition as regards the slaughtering of pigs in Poland, where Smithfield and Pini Polonia were the two largest market players.

The European Commission announced on 23 January 2018 it had referred the proposed transaction between Smithfield Foods and Pini Polonia to the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) at its request.

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