Amazon cleared to buy iRobot vacuum cleaner maker

Amazon has been given the go-ahead to purchase a company which makes robotic vacuum cleaners, following a review by the government's competition watchdog.

The online giant moved to buy iRobot, maker of the Roomba cleaner, last August but the deal was called in by the Competition and Markets Authority.

The watchdog looked into whether the takeover would put Amazon at an unfair advantage over its competitors.

But on Friday it announced the merger could go ahead.

The CMA found that iRobot's place in the UK market was "modest" and that it already faced several significant rivals.

It also concluded that the UK market for robot vacuum cleaners was small and not expected to grow significantly in the future.

The $1.7bn (£1.4bn) deal will allow Amazon to grow its operations for smart home appliances.

Roomba models sell in the UK from £249, with some costing up to £899.