Build a Bear Workshop Inc / Bear Factory Ltd / Hamleys Group Ltd

OFT closed case: Anticipated acquisition by Build a Bear Workshop Inc of the Bear Factory Limited from Hamleys Group Limited

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 22 March 2006

• Case type: Mergers
• Case state: Closed
• Market sector: Retail and wholesale
• Outcome: Mergers - phase 1 found not to qualify
• Closed: 22 March 2006

Affected market: Manufacture of toy animals

No. ME/2285/05

On the basis of the information available to it, the Office of Fair Trading has decided that the anticipated acquisition by Build-a-Bear Workshop Inc of the Bear Factory Limited from Hamleys Group Limited does not qualify for investigation under the mergers provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act), because neither the UK turnover test nor the share of supply test in section 23 of the Act is met.  A relevant merger situation has, therefore, not been created.

Published 22 March 2006