The proposed takeover of Roomba vacuum cleaner manufacturer iRobot by Amazon is under investigation by the British competition authority.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is examining whether the deal could lead to a “material reduction in competition”.
Amazon is keen to expand its activities for smart home devices.
Both Amazon and iRobot have both said they are “cooperating” with regulators.
Amazon last year announced it would buy iRobot in a $1.7bn (£1.4bn) takeover.
Roomba models start at £249 in the UK, with some going as high as £899.
A month after Amazon agreed the deal with iRobot, US authorities said they were looking into the acquisition.
In February, the Financial Times reported that European competition authorities would also launch an investigation into the deal.
Amazon said it was “collaborating with relevant regulators in reviewing the merger,” while iRobot said it was continuing to “collaborate with both the U.S. FTC and other regulators in reviewing the Amazon-iRobot merger.”
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The Roomba vacuum cleaner has a colorful past. In 2021, owners reported devices appeared “drunk” after a software update.
Machines are designed to “spin around”, charge constantly or not charge at all, and move in strange directions.
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