The Competition Superintendence (CS) authorized the acquisition of Alberto Culver Company by Unilever after determining it would not negatively impact competition. Alberto Culver distributes hair, skin, and body care products in El Salvador under various brands that Unilever also distributes similar products for. The CS analyzed market concentration, barriers to entry, and rivalry in relevant markets and found the acquisition would not allow anticompetitive practices. Francisco Diaz Rodriguez, Competition Superintendent, asserted the authorization was based on a technical, legal, and economic review finding no negative effects on competition conditions.

1. Press Release C. 13-11
th
El Salvador, May 27 , 2011.
CS Authorized Acquisition of Alberto Culver
Company by Unilever
The Board of Directors (BD) of the Competition Superintendence (CS) authorized the
acquisition of Alberto Culver Company by Unilever, after determining that this purchase will
not have negative effects on the competition conditions of the related markets.
“The acquisition was The CS authorized the acquisition of the shares of ALBERTO CULVER
authorized pursuant to COMPANY by CONOPCO INC. (a subsidiary of the UNILEVER Group).
the technical, legal,
and economic analysis The products and trademarks included in said purchase are products used for the
carried out, which care of face, hands, body, and hair. In El Salvador, ALBERTO CULVER
determined that this COMPANY distributes through LABORATORIOS ARSAL, S.A. DE C.V. and
operation would not ELITE BRANDS, S.A. DE C.V., products of its trademarks ALBERTO VO5, St.
have negative effects Ives, TRESEMMÉ, FOLICURE, Dash, Motions, Just for Me, Soft & Beautiful,
on the current TCB, Barber Select, Noxzema, FDS, Mrs. Dash, and Sugar Twin. UNILEVER
distributes similar products of the trademarks POND´s, SEDAL, VASENOL.
competition conditions
of the analyzed In order to assess if the aforementioned acquisition would be authorized or not,
markets”, asserted the CS analyzed the concentration levels, the existence or not of entry barriers to
Francisco Diaz new competitors, and the existing rivalry in the market, in order to determine if the
Rodriguez, market showed characteristics that could allow the commitment of anticompetitive
Competition practices.
Superintendent.
“The acquisition was authorized pursuant to the technical, legal, and economic
analysis carried out, which determined that this operation would not have negative effects on the current
competition conditions of the analyzed markets”, asserted Francisco Diaz Rodriguez, Competition
Superintendent.
The monetary income in the country of the companies involved in the analyzed operation exceed the thresholds
established in Article 34 of the Salvadoran Competition Law, necessary condition for economic agent to request
prior authorization to the CS in order to carry out a merger or acquisition. Said thresholds are:
• Combined total assets that exceed 50,000 minimum urban annual wages in the industrial sector or
• Total income of the involved economic agents that exceed 60,000 minimum urban annual wages,
In El Salvador, the economic agents must request authorization from the CS before carrying out a merger or
acquisition, in order to determine if such operation will not provoke a significant limitation on competition. The CS
is legally empowered to authorize, condition, or deny a merger or acquisition before said operation is executed.
Edificio Madreselva, 1er Nivel, Calzada El Almendro y 1ª Ave. El Espino, Urb. Madreselva, Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador.
E-mail: contacto@sc.gob.sv - www.sc.gob.sv