AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR CLEARS BORDERS DEAL

MELBOURNE, Feb 13 (Reuters) -

After delaying a decision several times last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced today that it does not oppose the sale of Borders's Australian operations to Pacific Equity Partners, the private equity firm that owns A&R Whitcoulls Group, Reuters reported. Because A&R Whitcoulls operates 182 Angus & Robertson stores in Australia, there was some concern that consumers would be adversely affected. In essence, the commission found that there is enough competition in book retailing to mitigate any anticompetitive results of the sale, part of Borders's divestment of many of its international properties.
One concern of the ACCC, according to Bookseller & Publisher Magazine's Weekly Book Newsletter, was that A&R prices many of its books above suggested retail and might do away with some of Borders's discounts. But the commission noted that Borders also sells some titles above retail price, and other stores "will be in a position to highlight their lower prices and win customers from Borders and Angus & Robertson if they attempt to increase prices further."