Morrisons to sell 28 McColl’s stores including one Scottish shop in Perth following takeover

Supermarket giant Morrisons is to sell 28 McColl’s convenience stores despite saving the struggling retailer after it fell into administration earlier this year.

The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) proposes to accept an offer from Morrisons to sell 28 McColl’s stores across the UK to address competition concerns in the areas where the stores are located, including one in Scotland.

Morrisons has offered to divest the shop in Perth, along with 26 English stores and one in Wales.

The CMA is set to accept the proposals after consulting on them, which it says “appear to be suitable to restore the loss of competition brought about by the deal across each of the local areas”.

Sorcha O’Carroll, CMA senior director of mergers, said: “Our preliminary view is that the sale of these stores will preserve competition in these local areas and prevent consumers from losing out due to this deal, at a time when shoppers are already facing rising prices.

“If, after reviewing the responses to our consultation, we conclude that the competition issues have been addressed, the deal will be cleared.”

In May, 16,000 jobs were put at risk after the newsagent chain fell into administration.

Morrisons proposed a last-minute rescue deal to save the business.