Abandonment of credit-score checking merger
The CMA has cancelled its merger investigation into Experian’s anticipated purchase of Clearscore.
This follows the companies’ decision to abandon the transaction.
Experian and ClearScore provide credit-score checking and financial product comparison services in the UK. These services allow people to understand their finances and choose loans and credit cards online.
In November 2018, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published provisional findings as part of its in-depth, Phase 2, merger inquiry. These set out concerns that the merger of 2 of the largest credit-score checking firms in the UK could result in less intense competition in the sector.
The CMA provisionally found that the merger could stifle product development, by substantially reducing the pressure to continue to develop innovative offers and to make other improvements in services, and so negatively impact consumers.
Experian and ClearScore have now decided not to continue with the deal.