Acquisition

Ecommerce delivery platform MetaPack has been acquired by Stamps, a shipping software solution from the US. Stamps.com, which also offers provides postage online, bought the UK business for approximately 197 million euros.

Two major German department store chains, Kaufhof and Karstadt, will form a joint venture after Hudson's Bay sells half of its European business to Signa Holding. The latter will hold only a little bit more than half of the entity and will manage the operating business.

Online food delivery service Takeaway.com has acquired Foodarena, a similar company from Switzerland, from its main competitor Delivery Hero. The acquisition doesn't mean Takeaway.com is entering a new market, as the Dutch company was already operating a food delivery service in Switzerland.

Klarna has acquired Shop.co, a small German startup that wants to simplify online shopping by offering a universal shopping cart. There's little known about the deal, but according to Klarna it's mostly about the acquisition of intellectual property and taking over a mere Shop.co employees.

PayPal has signed an agreement to acquire iZettle, a Swedish fintech company that's aimed at small businesses. PayPal will pay 2.2 billion euros for iZettle, which makes it the biggest acquisition of PayPal ever.

UK supermarket chains Sainsbury's and Asda have agreed to merge. The competition regulators still have to agree to the acquisition, but if it gets the green light, the merged identity will become the biggest grocer in the United Kingdom.

Swiss retail company Coop will be the total owner of online marketplace Siroop with effect from the first of May. On that day, the major retail and wholesale company will acquire the 50 percent share package of Swisscom. Coop and Swisscom jointly launched Siroop in 2016.

Takeaway.com, the Dutch company that's gaining more and more market share in Europe, has acquired two food delivery marketplaces in Eastern Europe. Takeaway.com is now the owner of BGmenu from Bulgaria and Oliviera from Romania.

Monoprix, subsidiary of Casino Group, is busy acquiring Sarenza, a popular online shoe retailer from France. With the expected acquisition, Monoprix wants to further present itself as an omnichannel lifestyle leader. The ecommerce know-how of Sarenza should help Monoprix with its digitalization strategy.

Dutch food delivery service company Takeaway.com considers merging with Delivery Hero. Founder Jitse Groen thinks a shakeout is the next logical step, as a consolidation of the market is on its way. "In every major country in the world there can be only one player."

Amazon is actively looking for partnerships and acquisitions in Europe. The American ecommerce giant has approached FMCG retailers, such as leading UK supermarket chain Morrisons and major French retail chain Monoprix.

Dutch department store Hema has strengthened its international ambitions by purchasing the international domain Hema.com. The international desire seems part of a plan to make Hema more interesting for potential buyers.

Shop Apotheke Europe has acquired mail-order pharmacy Europa Apotheek. Through this acquisition, Shop Apotheke wants to strengthen its European market leadership. The combination of prescription-free and prescription drugs is expected to create the largest and fastest-growing integrated online pharmacy of Europe.

Amazon wants to enter the pharmacy market in Germany. According to trade publication Aphoteke Adhoc, Amazon wants to take over market leader Shop Apotheke. But this online retailer has clarified that currently there are not talks or negotiations with Amazon.

The eCommerce Expo, held on 27 and 28 September in London, has a new owner. Today, CloserStill Media, Justin Opie and Graeme Howe have announced that they are acquiring eCommerce Expo from UBM. Howe and Opie are the former owners of IMP Events, from where they launched eCommerce Expo in 2006.