KKV approves acquisition of Lehtipiste by Tradeka

On 15 September 2016, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) approved a business acquisition whereby Tradeka Ltd will acquire Spondot Ltd, which owns Lehtipiste Ltd.

The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority has concluded that the acquisition will not significantly impede effective competition in the Finnish market.

Tradeka Ltd manages the core business of Co-operative Tradeka and owns Tradeka-invest Ltd, which is in charge of Tradeka’s investment activities, and Restel Ltd, which operates in the hotel and restaurant field.

Spondot Ltd owns Lehtipiste Ltd, which specialises in the distribution of newsstand copies of Finnish and foreign newspapers and magazines, comic albums, books, collectables and maps in Finland.

Tradeka and Lehtipiste have no overlapping operations. Lehtipiste distributes products to around 5,800 retail stores. Lehtipiste delivers afternoon papers to Restel’s hotels and restaurants, but this only accounts for a small share of Lehtipiste’s total sales.

The FCCA’s decision includes business secrets of the parties involved. The decision can only be published once all confidential information has been removed, which will take approximately two weeks.

Further information: Research Officer Laura Kauppila, tel. +358 29 505 3335