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14.12.09 | Merger of Friends Reunited Holdings Limited to go tothe Competition Commission for Further Investigation
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has put forward the expected merger of Friends Reunited Holdings Limited by Brightsolid Group Limited to the Competition Commission for further investigation. At the moment both companies compete with Ancestry.com, which holds the largest market share, in the online genealogy services sector. Friends Reunited Holdings Limited owns the website Genes Reunited and Brightsolid owns the Find My Past and 1911 Census websites. Their sites allow users to search and access historical information and documents such as census results, birth, marriage and death records, and also supply family tree software.
The OFT has a duty to make a reference to the Competition Commission if the OFT believes that it is or may be the case that arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation, and the creation of that situation may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services. Under the Enterprise Act 2002 a relevant merger situation is created if two or more enterprises have ceased to be distinct enterprises, and the value of the turnover in the United Kingdom of the enterprise being taken over exceeds £70 million, or as a result of the transaction, in relation to the supply of goods or services of any description, a 25 per cent share of supply in the UK (or a substantial part thereof) is created or enhanced.
The OFT has issued the following opinion, 'The proposed acquisition would see the three main providers of online genealogy services reduced to two, and we are concerned this could lead to a reduction in choice or service for consumers. We are therefore referring the merger to the Competition Commission for a fuller inquiry.'
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