Jardine said to eye PARKnSHOP with possible Wellcome merger
發佈日期: 2026-04-17 21:35
TVB News
Hong Kong's supermarket sector might be heading for a shake-up as conglomerate Jardine Matheson is reportedly in talks to acquire the PARKnSHOP business from another conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings.
The move could lead to a potential merger of Hong Kong's two supermarket giants: Wellcome and PARKnSHOP which raises concerns of market monopoly.
For more than four decades, Hong Kong's supermarket scene has been dominated by the two giants: Wellcome and PARKnSHOP.
But the possible merger could tip that balance.
Some citizens worry reduced competition could lead to higher prices with some noting that it's better to have more choices for grocery-shopping. Others pointed to the rise of e-commerce and cross-border shopping as alternatives, which have also reduced reliance on traditional supermarkets.
The Financial Times cited sources that Jardine Matheson has been in talks with CK Hutchison to acquire Hutchison's PARKnSHOP and merge the supermarket chain with Wellcome under Jardine's DFI Retail unit.
The deal, reportedly, has been under way for some time but it's unlikely that an outcome is imminent.
Retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu says with growing competition from mainland retailers and the surge in online shopping platforms, Hong Kong's traditional supermarket model is facing structural challenges.
Currently, Wellcome and PARKnSHOP operate around 600 stores combined.
Their joint market share earlier reached as high as 80 percent. But it could fall after the merger.
Lawmaker Bill Tang raised concerns that the merger could lead to market monopoly with possible job cuts following consolidation.
Both DFI retail group and CK Hutchison Holdings declined to comment.
