The competition authority has launched an in-depth investigation into Global’s deal to buy the out-of-home media owner Exterion Media.
The Competition & Markets Authority informed the two companies of the “launch of its merger inquiry” on Tuesday. It has invited interested third parties to make a formal comment on the deal before 6 March and expects to make its initial decision by 16 April.
It is understood that the CMA spoke to a wide range of industry figures and companies before launching the investigation, including the out-of-home specialist agencies Kinetic, Talon Outdoor and Posterscope.
The CMA will consider whether the deal has created a “relevant merger situation” under the Enterprise Act 2002 and whether that situation has or could result in a “substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the UK for goods and services”.
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