UK watchdog clears eBay's planned acquisition of Depop from Etsy

Etsy, Inc.
eBay Inc.

Etsy, Inc.

ETSY

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eBay Inc.

EBAY

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- Britain's competition regulator on Wednesday cleared eBay's EBAY.O planned takeover of fashion resale platform Depop, concluding an initial probe and removing a potential hurdle for the U.S.-based company in closing the deal.

Here are some details:

  • eBay announced in February that it would buy Depop from Etsy ETSY.N for about $1.2 billion, in hopes of expanding its appeal among younger shoppers and increase its presence in the growing resale fashion market

  • Britain's Competition and Markets Authority began a formal review of the deal last month, during which interested parties were asked to provide views on the deal's impact on competition in the country

  • The CMA said it decided not to refer the deal to an in-depth, so-called phase 2 probe; deadline for concluding the phase 1 investigation was August 6

  • eBay could not be immediately reached for comment outside business hours