Asda is unlikely to be ordered by the OFT to sell many, if any, of the Netto stores it bought, according to the discounter's boss.
Speaking to The Grocer, Netto's international MD Claus Juel-Jensen said he was optimistic the OFT wouldn't find many problems. "Our market share is very low. We would anticipate that if Asda has to sell any stores it will be a low number and maybe none," he said. "We are not a significant player and this is a new format for Asda."
Asda paid £778m for the discounter's 193 stores, which average 8,000 sq ft in size and will allow Asda to dramatically expand its smaller store format.
Netto had closed three stores recently, bringing its estate down to 193, said Juel-Jensen. But Netto would have continued to survive in the UK if Asda had not made the offer.
"We had done well over a number of years although it had become more difficult recently because of the market domination of a number of large players," he added. "We can now concentrate on running Netto in other countries."
Asda plans to rebrand the stores by summer 2011.
Speaking to The Grocer, Netto's international MD Claus Juel-Jensen said he was optimistic the OFT wouldn't find many problems. "Our market share is very low. We would anticipate that if Asda has to sell any stores it will be a low number and maybe none," he said. "We are not a significant player and this is a new format for Asda."
Asda paid £778m for the discounter's 193 stores, which average 8,000 sq ft in size and will allow Asda to dramatically expand its smaller store format.
Netto had closed three stores recently, bringing its estate down to 193, said Juel-Jensen. But Netto would have continued to survive in the UK if Asda had not made the offer.
"We had done well over a number of years although it had become more difficult recently because of the market domination of a number of large players," he added. "We can now concentrate on running Netto in other countries."
Asda plans to rebrand the stores by summer 2011.
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