UK/SCANDINAVIA – Part of the proposed takeover by Scandinavian dairy products company Arla Foods of Britain’s Express Dairies has been referred back to the UK competition authorities by the EC.

The UK authorities will now have to further assess the impact such a merger would have on the market for the supply of processed fresh milk and fresh cream in Britain.

The Commission has otherwise cleared the merger in relation to other products and geographical markets.

It agreed that the market for the supply of fresh milk and fresh non-bulk cream raised competition concerns that would be better dealt with by the UK authorities, and referred these parts to them.