UK Competition Watchdog Issues Enforcement Order on Co-op Group's Acquisition of Southern Co-op

09:38 AM EDT, 07/23/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The UK competition watchdog on Thursday issued an initial enforcement order on Co-operative Group and new subsidiary Siena Co-operative as part of its antitrust review of the group's proposed acquisition of Southern Co-operative. In its order, the Competition and Markets Authority said it has reasonable grounds to suspect that certain arrangements being made or contemplated would ultimately result in Co-op Group and Southern Co-op ceasing to be distinct from one another. Under the arrangement, Southern Co-op's business would be transferred to Siena. The initial enforcement order will take effect from July 26. The two British cooperative societies, which announced their proposed combination in early April, must operate separately until the regulator's review is completed.