Mars Wins Unconditional EU Nod for $36 Billion Kellanova Deal

Mars Inc.’s $36 billion bid for cereals and Pringles chips maker Kellanova won European Union approval after regulators backtracked on earlier concerns over the largest packaged-food deal in almost a decade.

The European Commission, the bloc’s merger watchdog, confirmed Monday that regulators ditched earlier concerns about how Mars could leverage its increasing portfolio power in discussions with retailers after the purchase.

“We looked very carefully at this deal to make sure that Mars would not gain extra power over retailers, power that could lead to for example higher prices for shops and, ultimately, for consumers,” Teresa Ribera ...