RNS Number:1971S
Office of Fair Trading
02 March 2007

REQUEST FOR VARIATION OF UNDERTAKINGS ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF REFERENCE - 
'Acquisition by Boots Group PLC of Alliance UniChem Plc'


On 24 May 2006, Boots Group PLC (now Alliance Boots plc) gave Undertakings in
lieu of reference to the Competition Commission (the Undertakings) to sell each
of the Divestment Pharmacy Businesses listed in Annex A to the Undertakings as a
going concern by the end of the Divestment Period to a purchaser approved by the
OFT. Alliance Boots has now requested that certain aspects of the above
Undertakings be reviewed under sections 73 and 92(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002
(the Act) with a view to the variation of the Undertakings.



Alliance Boots plc has submitted that there has been a relevant change of
circumstances in that there has been new entry in each of the following overlap
areas listed in Annex A, Category B (3:2), of the Undertakings which would
remedy the potential lessening of competition in these areas arising from the
merger.



  * (38) Manchester (Trafford) - new entry by Asda Pharmacy, Barton Dock Road,
    Trafford, Manchester M41 7ZA
  * (46) Prescot - new entry by Neils Pharmacy, 32 Molyneux Drive, Prescot,
    Merseyside L35 5DY



The OFT is minded to accept that each of these new entries is a relevant change
of circumstances for the purposes of section 92(2) of the Act and to remove from
the list of Divestment Pharmacy Businesses in Annex A to the Undertakings those
locations listed at numbers 38 and 46 under Category B.  Before taking a final
decision, however, the OFT invites interested parties to make any comments that
may be relevant to this consideration. Following this consultation the OFT will
decide on whether the Undertakings should be varied.



Affected sector:  pharmacy retail


Please send written representations to:


Ingrid Nitsche
Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London EC4Y 8JX



Email: Ingrid.nitsche@oft.gsi.gov.uk
FAX: 020-7211-8916


to arrive by 16 March 2007


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