Aramark's last-ditch legal challenge over Entier deal fails in UK court
Aramark Limited has lost its bid to challenge a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ruling over its acquisition of Entier Limited. The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) rejected the company's request for an extension after its appeal was filed just hours late. The decision marks the end of Aramark's legal push against the CMA's order to divest part of the business.
The case began when Aramark acquired a majority stake in Entier, an offshore catering supplier, on 24 January 2025. The CMA launched a merger inquiry on 23 May 2025 and escalated it to a phase 2 investigation by 22 July 2025. After a detailed review, the CMA's final report, published on 15 January 2026, found the deal had significantly reduced competition in the sector.
Under UK law, companies have 28 days to file a judicial review of a CMA decision. Aramark's notice of application was due by 5pm on 12 February 2026. Instead, the company submitted it at 12.02pm the following day.
Initially, Aramark claimed the filing was on time. Later, it admitted the delay but argued for an extension, citing exceptional circumstances. The tribunal disagreed, stating the late submission resulted from ordinary procedural failures. It ruled that Aramark had not shown sufficient grounds to justify bending the deadline.
The tribunal's refusal leaves the CMA's divestment order in place. Aramark no longer has a legal route to contest the decision through the CAT. The ruling reinforces the strict timelines set out in the Enterprise Act 2002 for challenging regulatory decisions.
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