Dettol and Nurofen owner Reckitt Benckiser has launched an attempt to win control of US vitamins provider Schiff, which recently agreed to a $1.2 billion (£755 million) takeover approach from German healthcare giant Bayer.
The Slough-based group, whose stables of brands also includes Calgon, Cillit Bang and Vanish, said it would offer $42 a share in cash for the firm, representing a 23.5 per cent premium over the $34 offered by Bayer last month.
Reckitt said was confident that Schiff’s board would see its $1.4bn offer as a “superior proposal” to the deal being offered by Bayer.
Reckitt chief executive Rakesh Kapoor said: “This acquisition would provide a powerful entryway into the large and rapidly growing $30bn global vitamin, minerals and supplements market. This market would be the largest consumer health care sector in which we operate.”
