EU review of Mars-Kellanova deal restarts as December deadline set

Core Viewpoint - Mars' acquisition of Kellanova is likely to receive approval from the European Commission before Christmas, with a new deadline set for December 19 to complete the investigation into the deal [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Timeline - The European Commission had previously suspended its investigation into the merger due to a lack of requested information, which has now been received, allowing the investigation to resume [2][3]. - The original deadline of October 31 for the investigation was cancelled, and the new provisional deadline is December 19 [2]. Group 2: Merger Details - Mars confirmed the acquisition of Kellanova, the maker of Pringles and Cheez-It, for $35.9 billion [4][5]. - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission approved the merger in June, making the EU approval the last remaining hurdle [3]. Group 3: Competition Concerns - Preliminary findings from the European Commission indicated that the merger could lead to higher consumer prices due to Mars' increased negotiating power with retailers in the European Economic Area [4][6]. - Several retailers in the EEA have expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of the merger on pricing [6].