The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the launch of the joint venture Deutsche Medien-Manufaktur GmbH & Co. KG, Münster by Gruner + Jahr and the agricultural publishing house Landwirtschaftsverlag Münster. The two publishing houses are pooling six magazine titles from the segments home, food and rural life in the joint venture. These are "Landlust" and "Einfach Hausgemacht" published by Landwirtschaftsverlag Münster and the magazines "Essen & Trinken", "Essen & Trinken für jeden Tag", "Living at home" and "Flow" which are published by Gruner + Jahr.

Andreas Mundt, President of Bundeskartellamt: "The merger affects different reader and advertising markets in the popular magazines sector. Several titles from the segments home, food and rural life are being brought together under the roof of the new joint venture. Nevertheless the Bundeskartellamt's investigations have shown that the merger is not expected to significantly impede effective competition in the markets affected. Several major competitors will continue to exert sufficient competitive pressure post merger.