Austrian furniture group XXXLutz has pushed back against allegations that it began integrating operations with German rival Porta before receiving regulatory clearance for their proposed merger.
The denial comes as the European Commission intensifies its scrutiny of the transaction, examining whether the companies violated EU competition rules by coordinating activities ahead of formal approval.
The allegations suggest the two firms may have collaborated more closely than permitted under merger control regulations, a practice known as gun-jumping.
XXXLutz disputes these claims, asserting that its conduct remained within legal boundaries while the deal awaits final authorization from Brussels.
The European Commission opened a formal investigation into the acquisition earlier this year, focusing on potential anti-competitive effects in the European furniture retail market.
Regulators are assessing whether the combined entity would hold excessive market power in key regions, particularly in Germany and Austria where both chains have significant footprints.