EU Approves JD.com Acquisition of Ceconomy with Conditions
EU Approves JD.com Acquisition of Ceconomy with Conditions
The European Commission has granted conditional approval for Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com to acquire German retailer Ceconomy in a deal valued at 2.2 billion euros. The decision follows an investigation into whether state subsidies from Beijing distorted the internal market, resulting in binding commitments from the parties to protect competition.
The European Commission has given conditional approval for JD.com to acquire Ceconomy, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn, in a transaction valued at 2.2 billion euros.
Brussels granted the green light to the deal, which was first announced in July 2025, after concluding an inquiry that began in May. The investigation focused on whether JD.com benefited from subsidies that could distort competition within the EU internal market.
The Commission praised the constructive approach taken by both parties, noting they proposed corrective commitments to address the identified distortions. Consequently, the approval is strictly conditioned on these measures being implemented.
Ceconomy’s acquisition has raised concerns regarding the future of French retailer Fnac Darty, which is a shareholder in the group. The deal positions JD.com as the third-largest e-commerce player in China, trailing Alibaba and Pinduoduo.
A.Atkinson--MC-UK
