The Commission's investigation showed that the transaction as notified would reduce competition in the already concentrated market for industrial chocolate and risked increasing industrial chocolate prices for customers located near the parties' German plants, especially for small and mid-sized customers. The Commission's approval is therefore conditional upon Cargill divesting ADM's industrial chocolate plant in Mannheim (Germany) to a suitable purchaser so as to address the Commission's concerns.
Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, commented: "Chocolate is a sweet yet serious business and we want to ensure that consumers will not have to pay more for their favourite chocolate sweets, biscuits and ice cream. With Cargill's divestment of ADM's industrial chocolate plant in Mannheim the Commission is confident effective competition will continue.
More information will be available on the competition website, in the Commission's public case register under the case number M.7408.
