Apple and Amazon UK Antitrust Class Actions Partially Allowed to Proceed
nashnova research
A UK tribunal ruled that a consumer class action against Apple and Amazon — alleging the two struck a deal to restrict third-party sellers and inflate prices — may proceed in part, with claims worth up to £306 million. The case puts the companies' UK channel arrangement under formal judicial scrutiny.
What is this lawsuit actually about?
Plaintiffs allege Apple and Amazon reached an agreement in 2018 restricting third-party sellers from listing Apple and Beats products on Amazon's UK platform.
In plain terms = the two companies are accused of squeezing out smaller sellers, leaving only a handful of authorized resellers — less competition, higher prices.
The affected group: UK consumers who bought Apple products on Amazon and may have overpaid as a result.
What did the tribunal allow — and what did it reject?
The tribunal approved only part of the claim: purchases of Apple products made on the Amazon platform may proceed.
It rejected the broader claim — covering purchases made directly from Apple's own channels or other retailers.
Lead judge Kelyn Bacon's reasoning: the Amazon-platform claims are "reasonable, credible and supported by evidence," while the wider claims rely on a "complex and speculative theory of harm" without sufficient proof.
This means → the court drew a line: there is enough evidence that Amazon-platform prices were inflated, but not yet enough to prove the effect spilled over to every sales channel.
How large is the claim?
The plaintiff side estimates the approved portion at £289 million to £306 million, including interest.
This reflects the sheer scale of Amazon-platform Apple sales in the UK — even one channel generates a substantial consumer-harm figure.
What setbacks did the case face before this?
This is not the first attempt. Last year the tribunal rejected a similar action, citing concerns about the proposed class representative and the litigation-funding arrangement.
A new representative, Justin Le Patourel, then replaced the original claimant and refiled the case.
In plain terms = the lawsuit swapped its lead plaintiff and funding structure, then came back — and this time the tribunal partially accepted it.
Will Apple and Amazon actually lose?
The ruling only permits the case to proceed — it does not find either company liable.
The tribunal stated explicitly: there are reasonable grounds to believe the reseller restrictions may have inflated prices on Amazon, but the final outcome depends on a full merits hearing.
This means → litigation risk for Apple and Amazon is now real, but a payout is still a long way off.
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