Consumer protection group to carry out investigation into Maxol's proposal to purchase 7 Naas Fuels service stations

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has announced today that it will carry out an 'in-depth' investigation into Maxol's deal to purchase seven Naas Fuels service stations.

According to the CCPC, Naas Fuels currently owns a number of service stations in the Leinster region, and the purchase has been proposed by McMullan Bros Limited, which owns Maxol Limited and Maxol Energy Limited.

The organisation has said that the investigation 'will consider how the deal would affect levels of competition between service stations, including potential consequences for consumers' (Details of the parties and the proposed purchase are available here).

The CCPC explained: "Under competition law, the CCPC assesses mergers and acquisitions notified to it in order to protect competition.

"In competitive markets, businesses are incentivised to compete on price and improve the quality of their products and services.

"CCPC merger investigations examine the potential impact a purchase may have on consumers, including changes to price, consumer choice, quality and innovation."

The CCPC further explained: "Maxol sells oil and petroleum products; the Maxol service station network consists of 243 Maxol-branded retail motor fuel service stations across the island of Ireland.

"These are owned either by independent dealers or directly by Maxol itself.

"Naas Fuels owns and operates seven Circle K-branded retail motor fuel service stations.

"The proposed purchase was notified to the CCPC in December 2023, and following a preliminary investigation, the CCPC has now decided that an in-depth investigation is needed to establish whether allowing the purchase to go ahead may result in a substantial lessening of competition in the State," the CCPC concluded.

Submissions from interested parties should be sent by email to mergers@ccpc.ie, by 4.30pm on April 24, 2024.

The CCPC added: "As the investigation is ongoing, no further information can be provided at this time."

The business information website SoloCheck.ie shows that Naas Fuels was established in 2022 and operates out of Maudlins Industrial Estate, Monread Road, Naas, County Kildare.

It has service stations in Prosperous and Moyvalley.