LONDON (AP) 鈥� Amazon called off its of robot vacuum maker iRobot on Monday as the deal faced antitrust scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, with the ecommerce giant blaming 鈥渦ndue and disproportionate regulatory hurdles.鈥�
The companies said in joint statement that they 鈥渆ntered into a mutual agreement to terminate their announced acquisition agreement鈥� and expressed disappointment.
Amazon鈥檚 announced in 2022 that it would buy iRobot, maker of the circular-shaped Roomba vacuum, for $1.7 billion in cash. But the value of the deal fell 15% after iRobot .
Amazon will pay the Bedford, Massachusetts-based company a previously agreed termination fee, which wasn't disclosed in the statement Monday. The same day, iRobot announced that it would now lay off about 31% of its staff and its CEO would depart.
The European Commission, the European Union鈥檚 executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, had of its 鈥減reliminary view鈥� that the acquisition of the robot vacuum maker would be anticompetitive.
While British antitrust regulators in June, it still in the U.S. by the Federal Trade Commission.
The European Commission did not respond immediately to a request for comment. It had been concerned that Amazon could reduce the visibility of a competitor鈥檚 product or limit access to certain labels, such as 鈥淎mazon鈥檚 choice,鈥� that may attract more shoppers.
The commission said last year that Amazon also might have found ways to raise the costs of iRobot鈥檚 rivals to advertise and sell their products on its platform.
David Zapolsky, Amazon鈥檚 general counsel, lashed out at regulators and said consumers would lose out on 鈥渇aster innovation and more competitive prices.鈥�
鈥淢ergers and acquisitions like this help companies like iRobot better compete in the global marketplace, particularly against companies, and from countries, that aren鈥檛 subject to the same regulatory requirements in fast-moving technology segments like robotics,鈥� he said.
He added that "undue and disproportionate regulatory hurdles discourage entrepreneurs, who should be able to see acquisition as one path to success, and that hurts both consumers and competition鈥� the very things that regulators say they鈥檙e trying to protect.鈥�
Now that the deal has been called off, iRobot said it will undergo a restructuring plan designed to stabilize the company. As part of those changes, the company will lay off roughly 350 employees.
iRobot Chairman and CEO Colin Angle also will step down from his role. Glen Weinstein, the company鈥檚 executive vice president and chief legal officer, will serve as interim CEO.
The Associated Press
