german court rules google must pay €572m for violating antitrust rules in price comparison sector

Google Faces €572 Million Fine in German Antitrust Ruling

A German court has determined that Google leveraged its dominant position within the price comparison market in an abusive manner. Consequently, the company is obligated to remit a total of €572 million (equivalent to $665.6 million) in damages to two distinct German price comparison entities, as reported by Reuters.

Damages Awarded to Idealo and Producto

The court has mandated that Google compensate the price comparison platform Idealo with approximately €465 million (around $540 million). Additionally, a payment of €107 million (roughly $124 million) is to be made to Producto, another competitor in the price comparison sector.

Idealo's Claim and ECJ Ruling

Idealo initially sought damages totaling €3.3 billion from Google. This legal action was initiated in response to a 2024 decision by the European Court of Justice. The ECJ found Google guilty of self-preferencing its own shopping comparison service, a practice that violates competition regulations.

Continued Legal Pursuit

Idealo has indicated its intention to pursue the case further, aiming to recover the full amount of damages originally claimed. The company believes that the current court ruling, while positive, does not fully address the extent of the harm caused by Google’s actions.

Idealo's Statement on Market Abuse

Albrecht von Sonntag, Idealo’s co-founder, stated, “We welcome the court holding Google accountable. But the consequences of self-favoring go far beyond the amount awarded. We will continue to fight – because market abuse must have consequences and must not become a lucrative business model that is worthwhile despite fines and compensation payments.”

Google's Response and Planned Appeal

Google has announced its intention to appeal both rulings. A spokesperson for the company asserted that the changes implemented in 2017 have proven effective, with no intervention required from the European Commission.

Growth of Shopping Unit Participants

The spokesperson further highlighted the growth of the Shopping Unit remedy, stating, “The number of price comparison sites in Europe using the remedy Shopping Unit has multiplied from seven then to 1,550 today.”

Equal Opportunity for Advertisers

Google maintains that it provides rival comparison shopping services with the same advertising opportunities as Google Shopping. The company emphasizes that Google Shopping functions as an independent entity, participating in auctions on an equal footing with other businesses.

Recent EU Investigations and Fines

This ruling arrives shortly after an EU investigation into the impact of Google’s spam policies on publisher search rankings. Recently, Google was subjected to a €2.95 billion (approximately $3.5 billion) fine by the EU for allegedly breaching EU antitrust rules by prioritizing its own advertising services.

Note: This story was updated to add a comment from Google.