The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved Ampol Retail Holding’s acquisition of EG Group Australia and EG AsiaPac Holdings. The clearance is strictly conditional on Ampol divesting 41 retail fuel sites across the country to protect local market competition.
Both companies maintain substantial footprints in the Australian fuel and convenience sectors. Ampol operates 576 branded service stations alongside 46 un-manned, self-service U-GO locations. Meanwhile, EG Australia manages 512 retail sites. Currently, Ampol serves as EG Australia’s exclusive wholesale fuel supplier, with EG’s service stations operating under Ampol branding while carrying EG-branded convenience stores.
The ACCC’s in-depth Phase 2 assessment focused on areas where the two networks overlap. Regulators concluded that without structural interventions, the acquisition would substantially lessen competition and reduce consumer choice across 39 local fuel markets. In response to these concerns, Ampol expanded its initial divestiture offer of 19 sites up to the mandated 41 locations.
To fulfill this condition, the ACCC approved Dib Group, trading as Metro Petroleum, as the buyer for all 41 stations. Metro Petroleum already operates more than 300 sites nationwide. ACCC Commissioner Dr. Philip Williams stated that the sale will establish a viable, long-term independent competitor in the impacted regional markets.
To prevent integration delays, the ACCC granted Metro Petroleum a notification waiver, bypassing further regulatory hold-ups. Dr. Williams noted that fast-tracking this waiver highlights the efficiency of the remedy processes under Australia’s mandatory merger control regime, which came into effect on January 1, 2026.
