Just Eat Share News (JE.)

(Sharecast News) - The competition watchdog has told Just Eat and Takeaway.com to keep their businesses separate while it decides whether to refer their merger for investigation.

The Competition and Markets Authority ordered the companies to avoid any integration or transfer of ownership while it weighs up the implications for consumers of Takeaway's £6bn takeover of the UK food delivery company. Shares of the combined company, Just Eat Takeaway, started trading on 3 February.

Information technology and customer and supplier lists must be kept separate and there must be no transfer of business secrets or knowledge between the companies, the CMA said. No changes should be made to key staff at either business and no key employees should be transferred between the businesses, it added.

The demand follows an initial enforcement order published on 30 January. The CMA said the companies could complete their merger as long as they stuck to its terms. The companies' bosses must report to the CMA every two weeks confirming compliance with the order.

"At all times, Takeaway and Just Eat shall each actively keep the CMA informed of any material developments relating to the Just Eat business or the Takeaway business," the CMA said.

The watchdog's potential investigation is the latest twist in a saga that started in July, when Just Eat agreed to be bought by Takeaway, which had to fight off a counter-approach by rival Dutch company Prosus.