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The joint statement this morning from Asda and Sainsbury puts forward a clear position to the CMA following their slightly strange and unexpected interim findings last month.

A commitment to transparent and audited savings on food and fuel is significant and is in my opinion, in the best interests of the shopper. The significant point that the CMA seemed to have missed so far is that shoppers will choose whether this is a good deal based on what they pay at the checkout. It is in no-ones interests shoppers or suppliers alike to make this deal anti-competitive and it never was.

Even since the findings were published the food retail market has had further competitive change in the tie up between M&S and Ocado which was inevitable, but apparently not to the CMA. Split baskets and savvy shopping are a way of life in the UK that is just not changing and the CMA really need to visit families and see how they are living their lives.

Whether the CMA grasps this reality really does remain to be seen, but the unintended consequences of the deal being called off will likely have a much bigger negative impact on the UK shopper than it going ahead.