Cartel office stops Tönnies takeover: Crailsheimer slaughterhouse in danger!
Cartel office stops Tönnies takeover: Crailsheimer slaughterhouse in danger!
Crailsheim, Deutschland - The Federal Cartel Office has made a clear announcement: the takeover of the Crailsheimer slaughterhouse by the Premium Food Group, formerly Tönnies, is a no-go. In a decision that affects many actors in the meat industry, the project was classified as questionable because it would have dangerously strengthened the market position of the Premium Food Group. Around 600 employees of the Crailsheimer slaughterhouse are unsettled by the news, while Vion, the current market leader in cattle slaughter in Germany, unfortunately, but respectfully noted. "The uncertainty has increased enormously," said the deputy works council chairman Michael Kugler in horror.
vion itself explains that the decision will currently have no direct consequences for day -to -day business. However, the company plans to precisely analyze the situation and decision of the cartel office. The Premium Food Group was disappointed and will examine the justification of the Federal Cartel Office before it promises possible legal steps. According to SWR there was already a protest from about 80 in April 2023 Animal welfare activists who blocked the access to the slaughterhouse.
market situation in the meat industry
The Federal Cartel Office carried out extensive market analyzes and found that the takeover of Vion by Tönnies in the affected regions would have led to a dominant market position. Tönnies, already the market leader in pork slaughter, would have achieved a market share of over 40 percent in the catchment areas of the affected slaughterhouses, which could significantly deteriorate competitive conditions for farmers and smaller companies. President Andreas Mundt of the Federal Cartel Office was concerned and explained that such concentrations of the market power would probably be accompanied by market accessible barriers and limited alternatives for farmers, such as is executed.
Overall, Vion operates several locations in Germany and has announced that it is largely withdrawn by June 2024. The Schlachthöfe market in Buchloe, Crailsheim and Waldkraiburg was threatened by this takeover, and the Bundeskartellamt has checked various fusion projects around Vion since the beginning of 2024, but some have not been approved.
effects on the employees
The uncertainty among the approximately 600 employees in Crailsheim is noticeable. After the decision, the deputy chairman of the works council expressed concern about the job perspectives in the region. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what steps the Premium Food Group will ultimately take. The works council members are calling for a clear statement on the future course of the company in the region. This leads to a feeling of uncertainty that extends across the entire industry.
In the middle of this complex situation, the question remains how the competition in the industry will develop and whether the Bundeskartellamt will provide a fair market. Will soon be "there is enough space for everyone", or soon a single brand dominates the market? The next few months will show which direction the industry will take.| Details | |
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| Ort | Crailsheim, Deutschland |
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