Some key concerns raised during talks included potential UK government scrutiny, as well as differences between the companies' cultures and business models, the person added. "Kraft Heinz's interest was made public at an extremely early stage," Kraft Heinz spokesman Michael Mullen said in a statement. "Our intention was to proceed on a friendly basis, but it was made clear Unilever did not wish to pursue a transaction. It is best to step away early so both companies can focus on their own independent plans to generate value. "How many scares must the government put UK workers through before they actually do as they have promised, which is to make the takeover process socially responsible?"

Source: Economic Times February 19, 2017 18:11 UTC