Harry Tuffins stores may be sold after ruling
Four stores belonging to a supermarket chain with outlets across Shropshire and Mid Wales could be sold for the second time in eight months following an Office of Fair Trading probe.
Officials at the Midcounties Co-operative have offered to sell four Harry Tuffins stores, including two petrol stations, after the OFT ruled a takeover of the chain would decrease competition and might lead to higher prices.
It has not yet been revealed which of the 10 Harry Tuffins stores in Shropshire, Wales and Gloucestershire have been put forward for the sale or if any jobs would be at risk.
The OFT is expected to announce whether it has accepted the Midcounties Co-operative's offer in the next few days.
There are Harry Tuffins stores with petrol stations in Ludlow, Craven Arms, Cleobury Mortimer, Bish-op's Castle, Churchstoke, Knighton and Machynlleth.
Secure
Further stores are also run in Coleford and Lydney in Gloucestershire and Holywell in North Wales.
The Midcounties Co-operative bought Tuffin Investments Ltd – the grocery and fuel retail business of Harry Tuffin Ltd, in April for an undisclosed sum. At the time it was claimed the deal would secure the jobs of the 449 staff employed by Harry Tuffins.
Lucy Kemp, spokeswoman for the Midcounties Co-operative, said the firm had offered to sell four stores in a bid to allay the concerns raised by the OFT.
She said the firm hoped to find out soon whether its proposal had been accepted.
Amelia Fletcher, chief economist at the OFT and decision-maker in the Harry Tuffins case, said: "The OFT is concerned that customers in the local areas identified would face an increase in prices and a reduction in choice, and we are therefore considering the divestments offered by Midcounties to resolve these issues."
