Rumor: European Commission will block iRobot takeover by Amazon

The European Commission will block Amazon’s billion-dollar takeover of Roomba maker iRobot. Reuters writes this based on information from those involved. Amazon has not yet made any concessions to the European Commission.

The decision on the takeover will be announced on February 14. Three sources involved in the case say otherwise Reuters that the takeover is blocked. This is mainly because Amazon has not yet made any concessions to the European Commission to allay any concerns. The Commission said in November that it fears that Amazon will thwart iRobot competitors in its online store after the takeover. The European Commission and Amazon declined to respond to Reuters’ questions.

The $1.4 billion acquisition of iRobot has already been announced in August 2022. The deal has since been approved by the British market authority. The American market watchdog FTC is still investigating the takeover.