Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com given notice of EU concerns over Ceconomy takeover

Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com was hit with formal notice of regulatory concerns over its $2.5 billion bid for German electronics retailer Ceconomy on Wednesday in a move that could require ‌hefty concessions.

The ⁠European ⁠Commission opened a full-scale investigation into the deal in May under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation that targets unfair foreign state aid.

The Commission was investigating whether JD.com received preferential financing, tax incentives and grants ​from the Chinese government ⁠that may ‌have helped it to offer a ​higher ​price for Ceconomy.


JD.com, which can now ⁠offer remedies to address the EU concerns, ​said that the Commission's statement of ​grounds is a normal procedural step.

"We remain confident the transaction supports Europe's broader objectives around innovation and competitiveness. We continue to expect a positive conclusion of the process ‌in the second half of 2026," the company said ahead of the ​Commission's announcement.

The ​Commission set ⁠an October 2 deadline for its decision on whether to clear the deal.

The acquisition would allow one ​of China's largest retailers to expand outside its home market via Ceconomy-owned electronic products retailers MediaMarkt and Saturn.

(Reporting by Foo Yun CheeAdditional reporting by Philip BlenkinsopEditing by Joe Bavier, Louise Heavens and David Goodman)