The Competition and Markets Authority has blocked Sainsbury’s and Asda from any possible merger until at least 2029.
As well as being barred from acquiring a stake in Asda – or any of its subsidiaries – for the next decade, Sainsbury’s also cannot buy an interest in any business that has a holding interest in Asda.
The same rules apply to Asda and its parent company Walmart.
The move follows on from an in-depth look into the proposed merger, which was blocked by the CMA in April.
The two chains are prohibited from any merger until July 8 2029 unless they receive prior written consent from the CMA.
