Bledisloe cleared to acquire Cremation Society

Bledisloe New Zealand cleared to acquire Cremation Society of Canterbury and Harewood Memorial Gardens & Crematorium

The Commission has granted clearance to Bledisloe New Zealand Limited (Bledisloe) to acquire the business and assets of Cremation Society of Canterbury Limited and Harewood Memorial Gardens & Crematorium Limited.

Bledisloe provides funeral directing services and memorial markers (such as headstones and grave markers) in Christchurch, while the Cremation Society of Canterbury and Harewood Gardens & Crematorium provide cremation services and memorial gardens.

As a result of the acquisition, Bledisloe will add cremation services and memorial gardens to its existing Christchurch funeral directing and memorial markers business.

The Commission is satisfied that the acquisition will not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the markets for the supply of funeral directing services, cremation services or memorial markers.

“The merged firm will continue to face competition from a number of existing funeral directors and providers of cremation services in Christchurch as well as a large number of memorial marker suppliers around the country. We are therefore satisfied that there is unlikely to be a substantial lessening of competition in these markets,” said Commerce Commission Chairman Dr Mark Berry.

A public version of the written reasons for the decision will be available shortly on the Commission’s website:http://www.comcom.govt.nz/business-competition/mergers-and-acquisitions/clearances/clearances-register/

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