Concern over price hikes for feminine hygiene products: The Competition Authority intervenes

The Competition Authority approved the merger between Kimberly-Clark and Canbio, on condition that Kimberly-Clark sells its feminine hygiene operations in Israel to an independent buyer, due to concerns about harm to competition and price increases.

The Competition Authority approved the international merger between Kimberly-Clark and Canbio, but conditioned it on the sale of all of Kimberly-Clark's feminine hygiene operations in Israel to an independent buyer. The main concern is concentration in a market where the two companies are two of the three largest competitors. Kimberly-Clark markets the brands 'Kotex' and 'Lily' in Israel, while Canbio holds the brands 'O.B.' and 'Carefree'. The Authority requires that the agreement with the buyer be signed before the merger is completed, and the buyer's identity must receive the approval of the Commissioner. The merger is also being reviewed simultaneously by competition authorities in the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia, which approved it under similar conditions.