Red-orange chili seasoning mix pouring from a plain paper sachet on a white background, with the McCormick logo behind it

McCormick’s Deal for Unilever’s Food Business Hits a U.K. Competition Hurdle Over Seasoning and Sauce Mixes

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority says the merger could reduce competition in dry ingredient mixes and dry sauces. The companies have until Nov. 18 to offer a fix or face an in-depth review.

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Nov. 11 that McCormick’s planned combination with Unilever’s food business could substantially lessen competition in the U.K., and that it will refer the deal for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation unless the companies offer an acceptable fix.

TLDR

  • The CMA’s concern is dry ingredient mixes, such as chilli con carne mixes, and dry sauces, such as parsley sauce, sold to U.K. retailers.
  • The CMA said the combined company would be the largest U.K. supplier of those products by far.
  • It found no realistic prospect of competition concerns in mustard.
  • McCormick and Unilever have until Nov. 18 to offer remedies, FoodNavigator reported.

What the CMA Found

The CMA published its Phase 1 decision on Nov. 11. It found that the merger may be expected to substantially lessen competition in one or more U.K. markets, based on the evidence currently available to it.

The products of concern are dry ingredient mixes and dry sauces sold to U.K. retailers, according to FoodNavigator and the PA news agency.

The CMA found the two companies compete closely in these categories. It said rival brands Maggi and Bisto, along with private label, impose only a limited constraint on the combined company, FoodNavigator reported.

Mustard Cleared

Mustard is not a concern. The CMA found that shoppers treat English, French and American-style mustards as different products, so the overlap between Unilever’s Colman’s and Maille and McCormick’s French’s is small, according to FoodNavigator and PA.

Unilever said in August that it would market the Colman’s brand and assets for sale, PA reported. A Unilever spokesperson told PA that talks with potential buyers are progressing well and that the company continues to make good progress on regulatory approvals around the world.

The Deal So Far

McCormick and Unilever announced the combination in March. FoodNavigator values it at $44.8 billion. It is structured as a Reverse Morris Trust, which lets Unilever separate the business more tax-efficiently than an outright sale. The combined company would hold Hellmann’s and Knorr alongside McCormick brands such as Frank’s RedHot, Cholula, French’s, Old Bay and Zatarain’s.

The deal cleared U.S. antitrust review in October, when the Federal Trade Commission granted early termination of its waiting period. The CMA opened its formal Phase 1 inquiry on Sept. 16.

Why It Matters

The CMA’s concern is narrow. It covers dry ingredient mixes and dry sauces sold to U.K. retailers, not the deal as a whole, and the regulator found no concern in mustard. If the companies’ offer by Nov. 18 does not satisfy the CMA, a Phase 2 investigation would lengthen the timeline for the $44.8 billion deal.

Sources: CMA case page, McCormick / Unilever merger inquiry (Phase 1 decision, Nov. 11, 2026); FoodNavigator (Lisa Buckingham, Nov. 11, 2026); PA news agency, via London Now (Nov. 11, 2026); FoodNavigator on U.S. clearance (Oct. 8, 2026).