Morrisons take-over bad news for consumers

Friends of the Earth today called for Morrisons' take-over of the Safeway supermarket chain to be investigated by the Competition Commission. The deal would give Morrisons around 16 per cent of the grocery market.

"The take-over of Safeway by Morrisons would put our whole food chain more firmly in the hands of a few big corporations. This is bad news for consumers, who will have less choice, small shops, who cannot compete against another all-powerful supermarket, and small farmers who are unable to stand up to the bully-boy tactics of the big buyers," said Friends of the Earth Food Campaigner Sandra Bell. "This sort of merger must not be allowed to go ahead without an investigation by the Competition Commission. This deal would give Morrisons about 16 per cent of the grocery market. The Competition Commission has acknowledged that any supermarket with 8 per cent or more of the market has a great deal of buyer power. The Government must investigate this deal and stop it if it is found to be damaging to small businesses, farmers or consumers."