eCommerce: Shopping

Google Loses Appeal on EU Fine for Hurting Online Shopping Competitors

The EU's top court ruled against Google's attempt to overturn a fine for unfairly promoting its own shopping service, dealing another blow to the tech giant.

Article by Patrick Nowak | September 11, 2024

Visa card on a laptop


Google Loses Appeal on EU Fine: Key Insights

  • Court Ruling: Google lost its appeal against a $2.7 billion fine from the EU for unfairly favoring its own shopping service.

  • EU's Stand: The ruling reinforces that Google abused its dominant position, limiting choice for users.

  • Global Impact: This is part of Google’s broader legal challenges, with over $8 billion in EU fines and additional cases in the U.S. targeting its business practices.


Google’s appeal to overturn a $2.7 billion fine imposed by the European Union was rejected by the EU's top court. The European Commission had originally fined the company in 2017 for unfairly prioritizing its own "comparison shopping service" in search results, hurting smaller competitors. The EU Court of Justice ruled that the fine was justified, saying Google abused its dominant position in online search.

A Win for Competition

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager, who has led multiple cases against Google, called the ruling a "big win for digital fairness. It confirms that Google favored its own comparison shopping service and actively limited choice for European users,” Vestager said.

Brand Shares of Top eCommerce Software Players in the United States, 2023

Ongoing Legal Troubles for Google

This is just one of several fines against Google. The company has faced over $8 billion in penalties from the EU for antitrust violations. In 2022, Google lost another appeal of a $4 billion fine related to its Android operating system. In 2019, the company was also fined $1.69 billion for blocking competitors in online advertising.

Valuable Insights: Our data-driven rankings are regularly refreshed to provide you with crucial insights for your business. Find out which stores and companies are performing will in the eCommerce space and which categories are topping the sales charts. Stay ahead of the market with our rankings for companies, stores, and marketplaces.

Google: U.S. Legal Battles

Google’s legal problems are not limited to Europe. In the U.S., a federal court recently ruled that the company operates an illegal monopoly in online search. Another ongoing trial may result in the breakup of parts of Google’s business, including its digital advertising division.

Google is yet to comment on the EU court's decision.

Mastercard

Click here for
more relevant insights from
our partner Mastercard.

Need more eCom data?

Try our eCom intelligence solution.

Get access
Need more eCom data?

Try our eCom intelligence solution.

Get access
Mastercard

Click here for
more relevant insights from
our partner Mastercard.