CP-Tesco merger spells pain for small businessesThe decision by the government's competition watchdog to approve the merger of Charoen Pokphand Group and local retail business Tesco Lotus left me speechless. Even with the above-mentioned conditions, it's hard to believe that our market won't be monopolised, or the company won't compete with its own business partners or use them as market testers. Though the merger was successful, Edeka was only a giant supermarket operator, not a turnkey producer like CP. Going back to OTCC's decision, I'm not sure if a Thai conglomerate buying a retail business back from a foreign company will create opportunities for small businesses. The merger may boost economic growth, but what about its impact on small businesses?

Source: Bangkok Post November 19, 2020 23:03 UTC