Business · Companies · 16 hrs ago
Swiss competition watchdog sees no reason to investigate Migros merger
Migros plans to combine its ten regional cooperatives and national federation into one cooperative group in Switzerland.
The company says the change will remove duplicated work and speed up decisions, with its supermarket business run centrally across the country.
The Swiss Competition Commission says the plan is an internal restructuring that does not require merger review.
It says it would act if there were concrete signs of a breach of competition law, but it has none at present.
The producers’ group Faire Märkte Schweiz fears Migros’s greater buying power could put suppliers under more pressure, especially if regional purchasing decisions disappear.
It wants fair producer prices, safeguards against one-sided purchasing terms, more transparency and continued regional supply options.
Migros’s 2.3 million cooperative members are due to vote in mid-2027, and the merger needs a two-thirds majority in each of the ten regional cooperatives.
Switzerland’s Competition Commission says it sees no reason to investigate Migros’s planned merger of its regional cooperatives.
The commission says the merger is an internal restructuring and is not subject to merger control or notification requirements.
Producer group Faire Märkte Schweiz wants a deeper review, warning that combining purchasing power could put more pressure on suppliers.
Migros plans to merge its ten regional cooperatives and the Migros Federation of Cooperatives into one group cooperative.
The 2.3 million cooperative members are due to vote on the merger in mid-2027.
- Who
- Migros plans the merger; the Swiss Competition Commission says it sees no reason to investigate. Faire Märkte Schweiz has called for a review.
- What
- Migros plans to combine its ten regional cooperatives and the Migros Federation of Cooperatives into one group cooperative.
- When
- Cooperative members are due to vote in mid-2027.
- Where
- Switzerland.
- Why
- Migros says the merger would remove duplication, speed up decisions and put supermarket operations under nationwide management. Faire Märkte Schweiz says the combined purchasing power could increase pressure on producers.
Faire Märkte Schweiz
Swiss Competition Commission
Need for review
Faire Märkte Schweiz
FMS calls for a deeper examination of the merger’s effects on suppliers and purchasing power.
Swiss Competition Commission
The commission says it currently has no reason to investigate and has no concrete indications of possible violations of competition law.
Effect on producers
Faire Märkte Schweiz
FMS fears that suppliers could become more dependent on Migros and face greater pressure if regional purchasing decisions are consolidated.
Swiss Competition Commission
The commission says it would intervene if it received indications of an abuse of market power.
Faire Märkte Schweiz approached the commission over a mandatory three per cent discount deduction on fruit, vegetables and berries.
The commission said it saw no reason for an investigation into the planned merger.
Migros cooperative members are due to vote on the merger.
- Cooperatives to be merged
- 10 regional cooperatives and the Migros Federation of Cooperatives
- Members voting
- 2.3 million
- Planned vote
- Mid-2027
- Required regional approval
- Two-thirds majority in each of the 10 regional cooperatives
- Discount deduction raised by FMS
- 3% on fruit, vegetables and berries
What people are saying
The planned merger is an internal restructuring.
The Competition Commission will only act when there are concrete indications of possible violations of the Cartel Act.