Polish E-commerce Platform Allegro Takes on Google in Landmark Lawsuit
In a bold move, Allegro, a leading Polish e-commerce platform, has filed a lawsuit against Google’s parent company Alphabet, Google Ireland, and Google LLC, seeking a staggering 2.33 billion zlotys ($567.60 million) in damages. The lawsuit, filed by Allegro’s subsidiary Ceneo, alleges that Google’s practices of favoring its own price comparison service in browser results have caused significant harm to Ceneo’s business.
Unfair Advantage
Ceneo, which provides online price comparison services, claims that Google’s actions have resulted in losses of 1.72 billion zlotys, as well as interest payments of approximately 615 million zlotys from 2013 to November 29, 2024. The subsidiary is also seeking statutory interest on the total amount from the date of filing until payment of damages.
A History of Anticompetitive Behavior
The lawsuit is closely tied to the European Union’s $2.7 billion antitrust fine imposed on Google in 2017 for abusing its dominant position in the search engine market to gain an unfair advantage over smaller European rivals in the price comparison shopping service market. The U.S. Department of Justice has also taken action, calling for Google to divest its Chrome browser and prohibiting the company from re-entering the browser market for five years.
Google Responds
In response to the lawsuit, a Google spokesperson expressed disagreement and stated that the company is considering its options. Google claims that its Shopping remedy has been successful for several years and continues to support brands, retailers, and comparison shopping sites of all sizes across Poland and Europe.
A Fight for Fair Competition
The lawsuit marks a significant challenge to Google’s dominance in the search engine market and highlights the need for fair competition in the digital landscape. As the case unfolds, it will be closely watched by industry observers and could have far-reaching implications for the future of online commerce.
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