EU regulators to investigate Casino, Intermarche's purchasing alliance

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators on Monday opened an investigation into Casino <CASP.PA> and Intermarche's purchasing alliance on concerns that the two French supermarkets may be colluding in breach of the bloc's competition rules.

The move by the European Commission followed dawn raids of the supermarkets in February and May this year.

Casino and Intermarche announced in 2014 a purchasing alliance in France that was dissolved last year when Casino and France's Auchan <AUCH.UL> sealed a global buying deal.

"The Commission is concerned that Casino and Intermarche went beyond the purpose of their alliance and engaged in an anticompetitive conduct," the EU competition enforcer said.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)