The decision came as Jewson parent company Saint Gobain agreed to sell 23 stores in 22 local areas to resolve the competition concerns identified by the OFT during its investigation into the merger.
OFT officials must now approve purchasers before they can buy any of the stores to ensure that they are capable of providing sufficient competition to the merged Jewson and Build Center business.
Ali Nikpay, Senior Director at the OFT and Decision Maker in this case, said: “The OFT was concerned that builders and other tradesmen would see an increase in prices for building materials as a result of this merger in a number of local areas.
“We are satisfied that the divestments offered by Jewson will remedy these concerns and restore pre-merger competition.”