South Africa watchdog backs Coca-Cola HBC bottling buy

Fiona Holland

Tue, July 14, 2026 astatine 9:13 AM CDT 2 min read

The section contention authorization successful South Africa has recommended Coca-Cola HBC's planned takeover of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa beryllium approved.

UK-listed Coca-Cola HBC struck a woody successful October to bargain a combined 75% of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) from The Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments for $2.6bn.

In a connection yesterday (13 July), the Competition Commission of South Africa (CCSA) said it has recommended that the country's Competition Tribunal approves the projected transaction.

"The Commission is of the presumption that the projected transaction is improbable to substantially lessen oregon forestall contention successful immoderate market", the CCSA said.

Due "to nationalist involvement aspects" of the projected deal, some parties person agreed to conditions, including to not marque immoderate jobs redundant successful South Africa pursuing the operation of the 2 companies "for a moratorium period", the CCSA added.

A spokesperson for the watchdog refused to beryllium drawn connected however agelong this moratorium play would last, erstwhile asked by Just Drinks. "This accusation has been claimed confidential astatine this stage," helium said.

Both companies person besides made a pledge "to investing successful processing the downstream organisation and retail aspects of its South African business", the CCSA said.

They person besides committed pursuing a secondary inward listing of Coca-Cola HBC connected the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The CCSA spokesperson said a clip play for the determination has been set, though this was besides "confidential".

The woody inactive needs to beryllium approved by Competition Tribunal. Large mergers typically look a proceeding aft the CCSA's referral, the spokesperson said. A determination past follows.

Coca-Cola HBC said successful October the acquisition would "materially expand" its beingness successful Africa, seeing the concern participate 14 much markets successful the continent, specified arsenic South Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya.

"South Africa watchdog backs Coca-Cola HBC bottling buy" was primitively created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand.