General · 16 June 2026
Kingsmill owner cleared to buy Hovis
The deal means two major bread suppliers can combine after facing tough times in the UK bakery sector. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's competition watchdog, approved Kingsmill owner Associated British Foods' (ABF) plan to buy Hovis. Both companies had struggled with declining bread demand and rising costs; ABF's bakery business lost money for 14 years.
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