By
Reuters
Published
June 8, 2026
UK’s competition regulator on Monday launched a probe into eBay’s $1.2 billion purchase of Gen Z-focused fashion resale platform Depop from Etsy.
The Competition and Markets Authority announced the launch of phase one of its investigation, stating that the merger notice submitted by the two businesses meets the Enterprise Act 2002’s requirements which enables the commencement of the review process, Retail Gazette reported. The initial review will kick off on Tuesday and the authority has until August 6 to ascertain whether a more detailed phase two investigation is needed.
The assessment will look into whether the deal would cause competition concerns. The purchase would give Ebay an opportunity to tap into Depop’s younger customer base while harnessing Ebay’s scale to promote long term growth.
The nearly $1.2 billion deal was announced in February this year and was carried out as Etsy sought to double down on its core handmade and vintage goods marketplace, pursuing a turnaround under its new CEO Kruti Patel Goyal. The business had reported muted demand amid budget conscious shoppers and strong online competition.
FashionNetwork.com with Reuters
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