Skip to main content

The Federal Trade Commission issued a statement on its vote to close the investigation of the proposed merger of European eyewear makers Essilor and Luxottica Group.

According to the statement, the evidence did not support a conclusion that Essilor’s proposed acquisition of Luxottica violates federal antitrust laws:

“FTC staff extensively investigated every plausible theory and used aggressive assumptions to assess the likelihood of competitive harm. The investigation exhaustively examined information provided by a wide and deep swath of market participants, as well as the parties’ own documents and data. Assessing the likely competitive effects of a proposed transaction is a fact-specific exercise that takes into account the current market dynamics, which may be different in the future. Here, however, the evidence did not support a conclusion that Essilor’s proposed acquisition of Luxottica may be substantially to lessen competition in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act.”

The Commission vote to close the investigation and issue the closing statement was 2-0. (FTC File No. 171-0060)

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about how competition benefits consumers or file an antitrust complaint. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

Contact Information

MEDIA CONTACT:
Betsy Lordan
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-3707