EU Commission clears Mars' $36 billion Kellanova deal

By Louise Rasmussen and Jessica DiNapoli

BRUSSELS/NEW YORK, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The European Commission has approved Mars' $36 billion bid to acquire Pringles maker Kellanova, it said on Monday, after opening a full-scale investigation into the takeover in June, citing concerns over higher prices.

The takeover, among the biggest in the snacks sector, will bring under one roof brands ranging from M&Ms, Snickers and Whiskas cat food to Pringles crisps, Pop-Tarts and Kellogg's cereals.

"The Commission has concluded that the proposed transaction would not raise competition concerns in the European Economic Area," it said in a statement on Monday.

The EU's executive arm found that both companies already have market power in parts of Europe, and as a combined company could link different categories to negotiate higher prices with retailers.

But, because consumers are not so loyal to the companies' products like M&Ms and Pop-Tart pastries that they would switch supermarkets, the deal is unlikely to increase Mars' bargaining power, the commission said.

The approval from the Commission was the last regulatory hurdle the deal needed to clear, and Mars now expects it to close on December 11.

Andrew Clarke, the global president of Mars Snacking, said in an interview on Monday that the deal means more choice for consumers as the group will have nine brands with over $1 billion in sales, up from six, "with line of sight to take more above $1 billion".

In terms of the deal leading to higher prices, he said Mars has not been immune to inflation, but looks to innovate and offer different product sizes to consumers.

He said in response to a question about layoffs that there "will be some areas of overlap we will look at", but that Mars is looking to grow the business and invest behind the brands in the long run.

($1 = $1.0000)

(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen and Jessica DiNapoli, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Jan Harvey)

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