247 – The Brazilian antitrust authority, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade), has reopened its investigation into Mercado Livre’s (MELI) acquisition of Cuidamos Farma. The review follows the submission of additional information by the Brazilian Association of Pharmacy and Drugstore Networks (Abrafarma) on October 8. Cade’s technical team, led by the Superintendency-General, will assess the new claims and evaluate if the deal violates antitrust regulations.
Abrafarma’s complaint centers around the fact that the acquisition of Cuidamos Farma, a physical pharmacy with regulatory approval and a licensed pharmacist, gives Mercado Livre access to the online drug sales market—a claim Mercado Livre had previously denied due to regulatory hurdles. The association argues that the purchase enables Mercado Livre to expand into the online pharmaceutical market, something it could not do before.
Mercado Livre responded by reiterating its stance of acting only as a marketplace for pharmaceutical products, not operating its own drug sales. The company emphasized that the Cade’s latest decision does not signal a new investigation, asserting that the review concerns previously submitted data, which will be processed under a different registration number.
The company dismissed Abrafarma’s accusations, calling them “unfounded.” Mercado Livre remains committed to its strategy of facilitating the sale of medications through third-party listings, not direct sales or operations in the pharmaceutical sector.