塞恩斯伯里与莫里森今年进行数十亿英镑合并洽谈

英国两大超市连锁集团塞恩斯伯里与莫里森据报在今年进行了合并洽谈，该项讨论已告结束 1。若此次合并得以完成，将创建一家市场份额达23.6%的零售巨头 1，虽然仍低于特易购的27.8%。

这项潜在交易面临重大监管障碍 1。英国竞争与市场监管局曾在2019年以保护竞争为由否决了塞恩斯伯里与阿斯达的70亿英镑合并案 1，预计对此次合并同样会进行严格审查。莫里森自2021年起被美国私募股权公司Clayton Dubilier & Rice收购 1，背负超过70亿英镑债务 1。与此同时，德国折扣零售商利德尔今年已超越莫里森在英国市场的地位 1，其英国部门年收入同比增长10%至130多亿英镑 1。

Britain's two major supermarket chains Sainsbury's and Morrisons conducted merger discussions this year, according to reports, though negotiations are no longer ongoing 1. The proposed combination would create a retail giant with a combined market share of 23.6 percent, still trailing Tesco's 27.8 percent 1. However, such a deal would likely face intense scrutiny from competition regulators, who blocked a £7 billion merger between Sainsbury's and Asda in 2019 to protect consumer interests 1.

The financial backdrop of a potential deal reflects the complexities facing Britain's supermarket sector. Morrisons has been under American private equity ownership by Clayton Dubilier & Rice since 2021, burdened with over £7 billion in debt 1. Notably, Lidl has surpassed Morrisons in market share this year, while Sainsbury's divested its Argos subsidiary for £120 million during the summer, a business it had acquired for over £1 billion a decade earlier 1. Lidl's UK operations recorded year-on-year revenue growth of 10 percent to more than £13 billion and pre-tax profit growth of 30 percent to £245.5 million 1.