Chemist takeover gets OK

COMPETITION watchdogs have given a conditional green light for the German owner of Lloyds Pharmacy to acquire Sainsbury’s 281 mostly in-store pharmacies.

The £125million deal was announced a year ago, but the Competition and Markets Authority identified 78 local areas where customers may be affected by a loss of competition.

The CMA has told Celesio, which operates about 1,540 pharmacies across the UK, that it will have to sell a Lloyds pharmacy in 12 areas of England and Wales to a new owner.