A UK consumer lawsuit involving Apple and Amazon has been revived, with a competition tribunal allowing part of the case concerning the sale of Apple and Beats products through Amazon’s UK marketplace to proceed.
The case centers on an agreement reached between Apple and Amazon in 2018 that restricted which independent sellers could offer Apple and Beats products on Amazon’s UK platform. The claimant argues that limiting the number of sellers reduced competition and may have contributed to higher prices for consumers.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal allowed claims relating to Apple products purchased through Amazon’s marketplace to continue. However, it rejected broader claims involving products bought directly from Apple and other retailers, finding that the evidence presented did not establish that the alleged conduct increased prices across those sales channels.
The remaining claims are estimated by the claimant to be worth between £289 million and £306 million, including interest. Apple has disputed the allegations, saying its agreement with Amazon was intended to address counterfeit products. Amazon has also rejected the remaining claims.
The case was brought under proposed class representative Justin Le Patourel after an earlier legal action encountered procedural issues. The latest ruling means the competition-related claims involving Amazon’s marketplace will continue through the UK legal process.
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