VetPartners Limited / Goddard Holdco Limited merger inquiry

The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VETPartners Limited of Goddard Holdco Limited.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 17 November 2021
• Last updated: 3 October 2022 — See all updates

• Case type: Mergers
• Case state: Closed
• Market sector: Distribution and service industries
• Outcome: Mergers - phase 1 clearance with undertakings in lieu
• Opened: 16 November 2021
• Closed: 2 September 2022

Statutory timetable

Date	Action
2 September 2022	Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted
8 August 2022 to 19 August 2022	Consultation on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference
13 May 2022	CMA to consider undertakings offered
28 April 2022	Decision announced
1 March 2022	Launch of merger inquiry
1 March 2022 to 15 March 2022	Invitation to comment
15 November 2021	Initial enforcement order

Phase 1

Case closure

3 October 2022: The sale of the Divestment Sites completed on 30 September 2022. This brings the merger investigation to an end.

Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted

2 September 2022: The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VetPartners Limited, of Goddard Holdco Limited.

• Final undertakings (2.9.22)
• Full text decision (12.9.22)

Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation: now closed

5 August 2022: We are consulting on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VETPartners Limited of Goddard Holdco Limited.

• Notice of consultation (5.8.22)

• Proposed undertaking (5.8.22)

Extension of consideration of undertakings in lieu

11 July 2022: The CMA has extended the consideration of undertakings in lieu of reference until 7 September 2022.

• Notice of extension (11.7.22)

CMA to consider undertakings offered

13 May 2022: VetPartners offered undertakings to the CMA, which involve divesting veterinary practises. The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by VetPartners or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act 2002.

• Full text decision (21.6.22)

Reference unless undertakings accepted

28 April 2022: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.

• Summary of Phase 1 decision (28.4.22)
• Press Notice: VetPartners’ purchase of Goddard raises competition concerns (28.4.22)
• Full text decision (21.6.22)

Launch of merger inquiry

1 March 2022: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.

• Commencement notice (1.3.22)

Invitation to comment: closed

1 March 2022: The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.

Initial enforcement order

15 November 2021: The CMA served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 in relation to the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VETPartners Limited of Goddard Holdco Limited.

• Initial enforcement order (17.11.21)

Amendments / consents granted

• Derogation 4 July 2022 (14.7.22)
• Derogation 9 June 2022 (15.6.22)
• Derogation 16 May 2022 (24.5.22)
• Derogation 20 April 2022 (3.5.22)
• Derogation 21 March 2022 (28.4.22)
• Derogation 6 January 2022 (17.1.22)
• Derogation 6 January 2022 (17.1.22)
• Derogation 15 December 2021 (22.12.21)
• Derogation 15 December 2021 (22.12.21)
• Derogation 6 December 2021 (13.12.21)
• Derogation 29 November 2021 (8.12.21)

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition issues to: [email protected]

Published 17 November 2021
Last updated 3 October 2022 + show all updates

1. 3 October 2022

   Case closure statement published.

2. 12 September 2022

   Full text of decision to accept undertakings in lieu of reference published.

3. 2 September 2022

   Update added following acceptance of undertakings in lieu of reference and final undertakings published.

4. 5 August 2022

   Acceptance of proposed undertakings published.

5. 14 July 2022

   Derogation published.

6. 11 July 2022

   Notice of extension published.

7. 21 June 2022

   Full text of the reference unless undertakings accepted and consideration undertakings offered decisions.

8. 15 June 2022

   Derogation published.

9. 24 May 2022

   Derogation published.

10. 13 May 2022

    Announcement on undertakings being considered published.

11. 3 May 2022

    Derogation published.

12. 28 April 2022

    Summary of Phase 1 decision and new derogation added to the page.

13. 29 March 2022

    Derogation letter published.

14. 1 March 2022

    Launch of merger inquiry published

15. 17 January 2022

    Derogations published.

16. 22 December 2021

    Derogations published.

17. 13 December 2021

    Derogation letter published.

18. 8 December 2021

    Derogation published.

19. 17 November 2021

    First published.