COMPETITION AUTHORITY TO APPEAL BREEO DECISION
Local Fianna Fail Euro election candidate, Ned O’Keeffe, has this week come out strongly in support of a Competition Authority appeal to the Supreme Court against a High Court decision that approved the sale of the Breeo Food brands to the Kerry Group, writes Brian Moore.
“This needs to be fought all the way, even to the European Court itself,” Deputy O’Keeffe told The Avondhu.
“If this goes through 65% of all branded food products on supermarket shelves will be supplied by the same company.”
The High Court ruled last month that the sale of the consumer brands could go ahead. The sale, for a reported €140 million, would see the Dairygold brands Galtee, Shaws, Roscrea, Mitchelstown, Calvita and Sno, move to the Kerry Food Group.
The Competition Authority made its decision to block the sale back in August 2008, which then led to the High Court action by the Kerry Group. A spokesperson for the Kerry Group stated that the group, “is determined to defend its position and will resist the appeal in the Supreme Court.”
Dairygold employees are reported to be fearful that any sale to the Kerry Group would result in job loses in Mitchelstown.
A spokesman for the Kerry Group refused to rule out job losses at Dairygold and told The Avondhu: “We are concentrating on completing the sale of these brands and have no comment to make other than that, at this time.”
Published:
Friday 10th April 1:03pm
