Office of Fair Trading to investigate £37.7m acquisition

Google’s £37.7m acquisition of BeatThatQuote.com will be reviewed by the OFT to see if creates a “relevant merger situation”.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) confirmed the review in a statement today, adding that it will “consider whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition.”

Google spokesman Stephen Rosenthal said: “BeatThatQuote.com’s expertise combined with Google’s technology will spur innovations that save U.K. consumers time and money.”

An OFT spokesman said: "We are opening an investigation and asking for comments."

Respondants to the consultation should email raul.nieto@oft.gsi.gov.uk