| ACCC Clears Ampol’s EG Australia Takeover — But Orders 41 Fuel Sites to Be Sold |
** “The ACCC was concerned the acquisition could materially reduce
competition and reduce choice for Australian motorists.” — ACCC
Commissioner Dr Philip Williams
|
ACCC Clears Ampol’s EG Australia Takeover — But Orders 41 Fuel Sites to Be Sold
3/06/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has approved Ampol’s proposed acquisition of EG Australia, but only under strict conditions designed to protect competition in the retail fuel market.
Under the approval, Ampol Retail Holding Pty Ltd will be required to divest 41 retail fuel sites across Australia to an ACCC-approved purchaser before the deal can proceed. The competition watchdog said the conditions were necessary because the acquisition could otherwise reduce competition in several local fuel markets where Ampol and EG Australia currently overlap.
Ampol and EG Australia are both major suppliers of petrol, diesel and convenience products across Australia. Ampol operates hundreds of sites under the Ampol and U-GO brands, while EG Australia owns and operates 512 retail sites. The ACCC’s review focused on the potential impact of the merger at both local market level and across broader metropolitan fuel markets.
ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said that without the divestiture conditions, the acquisition could substantially lessen competition in 39 local markets involving 41 EG Australia sites.
“The ACCC was concerned the acquisition could materially reduce competition and reduce choice for Australian motorists,” Dr Williams said.
He also pointed to wider community concern over petrol prices and cost-of-living pressures, saying the ACCC would continue to closely monitor and report on the fuel industry.
Ampol had initially offered to sell 19 sites, but increased the number to 41 during the ACCC’s Phase 2 assessment. The ACCC has approved Dib Group, which operates Metro Petroleum, as the purchaser of the divested sites.
Metro Petroleum and its related entities already own and operate more than 300 sites across Australia. The ACCC said the acquisition of the divested Ampol-EG sites would help create or expand a strong, independent and viable long-term competitor in the affected markets.
“We believe Metro Petroleum’s acquisition of the divested sites would result in the creation, or expansion, of a strong, independent and viable long-term competitor in the 39 local markets,” Dr Williams said.
The ACCC has also granted Metro Petroleum a notification waiver, allowing the divestiture to proceed without further approvals or delay.
The decision comes under Australia’s new merger control regime, which began on 1 January 2026. Under the regime, businesses that meet notification thresholds must notify the ACCC and wait for approval before completing acquisitions.
The approval marks a significant test of the new system, showing how the ACCC can impose conditions to address competition concerns while still allowing major transactions to proceed.
For motorists, the key issue will be whether the sale of the 41 sites to Metro Petroleum helps maintain competitive pressure in local fuel markets at a time when fuel prices remain a major household concern. |
