In a move that will fuel concerns about protectionism, China’s Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) has blocked Coca-Cola’s merger with Huiyuan Juice.
In an announcement published on Mofcom’s website, the anti-monopoly regulator prohibited the transaction, expressing concern about the proposed merger’s impact on existing small-scale juice manufacturers.
Commentators, however, question whether this tells the full story.
“The decision is not expressly protectionist but there will be certain suspicions that non-competitive factors played a role, particularly considering the media speculation...