CMA finds McCormick Unilever foods deal risks competition

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has found that McCormick's acquisition of substantially all of Unilever's global food business gives rise to a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in dry ingredient mixes and dry sauces sold to UK retailers.

Why it matters: The parties have until November 18 to offer undertakings that address the concerns, failing which the deal faces an in-depth phase 2 investigation, a timetable that now conditions a global foods transaction on UK remedies.

Data as of UK Competition and Markets Authority phase 1 decision announced November 11, 2026, and its summary of phase 1 decision (ME/7154/26), both read in full in this run; every figure and finding is from the CMA documents themselves. Developing item.

The Competition and Markets Authority said on November 11 that McCormick’s acquisition of substantially all of Unilever’s global food business gives rise to a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of dry ingredient mixes, and separately dry sauces, to retailers in the United Kingdom, because the deal combines the two largest branded suppliers in both markets. The CMA found no competition concern in mustard, where the parties sell different styles under the French’s, Colman’s and Maille brands.

McCormick, which sells in the UK under Schwartz and French’s, is to pay for Unilever Foods in McCormick shares, with Unilever also receiving the right to appoint members of the McCormick board, and the merger is conditional on merger control clearances including the CMA’s. The parties have until November 18, 2026 to offer undertakings in lieu of a reference; if none is offered, or the CMA judges an offer insufficient, it will refer the merger for an in-depth phase 2 investigation.

CMA finds McCormick Unilever foods deal risks competition

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