The European Commission has today cleared the proposed acquisition
by Australian packaging giant Amcor of UK-based Alcan Packaging’s flexible
packaging and folding carton businesses. Brussels has however imposed
conditions: that Amcor sells most of its pharmaceutical flexible packaging
business. A Commission probe into the deal had concluded a merged
Amcor-Alcan combine would have had “a strong position in this market and
in particular in the areas of laminated pharmaceutical sachets and in cold
form foil used for blister packs.” By eliminating a competitor, customer
choice would have been limited: “only a limited number of large
competitors would continue to be active in the market,” it said.
