British antitrust regulators approve Amazon’s purchase of robot vacuum maker iRobot
FILE – An Amazon company logo is seen on the façade of a company building in Schoenefeld near Berlin, Germany, March 18, 2022. British antitrust regulators have approved Amazon’s purchase of robot vacuum maker iRobot. He gave the green signal to the $1.7 billion deal on Friday, June 16, 2023, even though it still faces scrutiny in the United States and Europe. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
The Associated Press
London — British antitrust regulators approved Amazon’s purchase of robot vacuum maker iRobot on Friday, but the $1.7 billion deal still faces scrutiny in the United States and Europe.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it decided not to pursue its preliminary investigation as it concluded that the deal would not result in a “substantial reduction of competition” within the United Kingdom.
Amazon said it was pleased with the results.
“We expect similar decisions from other regulators soon,” the company said in a statement.
Consumer groups have expressed concern that Amazon’s purchase of Bedford, Massachusetts-based iRobot, which makes the popular Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, will widen the e-commerce giant’s dominance in the smart home market.
The acquisition still faces review in the US by the Federal Trade Commission amid concerns about Amazon’s growing market power. It is also under scrutiny by the EU’s executive branch, which reviewed the deal this month.
The UK watchdog said in its ruling that robot vacuum cleaners and the data they collect are not generally considered a significant gateway to the emerging market for smart home devices.
It added that iRobot has a marginal position in the UK market, already facing “a number of significant rivals” and that Amazon has done little to give its products special treatment over rivals in its online store. There will be encouragement.
