High Court approves Carlsberg takeover of J20 maker Britvic

The companies announced the agreement in July, saying it would create an “enlarged international group” that could expand into “multiple drinks sectors”.

Andrew Thornton KC, for Britvic, said in written submissions that the company was “the largest supplier of branded still soft drinks and the number two supplier of carbonated soft drinks in Great Britain”.

Britvic holds an exclusive licence with US partner PepsiCo to make and sell brands such as Pepsi, 7up and Lipton Ice Tea in the UK, which Mr Thornton told the court would continue following the takeover.

The hearing in London was told that the deal will see Britvic taken over by Carlsberg UK Holdings Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carlsberg A/S, which Mr Thornton described as “one of the world’s largest international brewing groups” with a market capitalisation of 118bn Danish kroner (£13bn).

The acquisition was approved by Britvic’s shareholders last August, with the Competition and Markets Authority giving its approval in December.