Apple and Amazon Face £900 Million UK Claim Over 2018 Marketplace Deal Today

Apple and Amazon must defend a British consumer claim alleging that their 2018 sales agreement restricted competition for Apple and Beats products on Amazon’s UK marketplace. The Competition Appeal Tribunal authorized the marketplace portion of the proposed collective action but rejected claims involving purchases from other retailers. The case reportedly seeks about £900 million in damages for consumers who allegedly paid higher prices. The ruling permits the lawsuit to proceed; it does not establish that either company violated competition law.

Tribunal Allows Marketplace Claim

The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal approved collective proceedings brought by JLP A&A Class Representative Ltd. The defendants include Apple Inc., Apple Distribution International and several Amazon entities.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple and Amazon reached agreements in 2018 limiting which third-party merchants could sell Apple and Beats-branded products through Amazon’s UK marketplace. According to the claim, removing many independent sellers reduced price competition and enabled authorized merchants to charge more.

The tribunal allowed the case to cover qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s UK website. It declined to certify the broader allegation that the agreement also inflated prices across every UK retailer. That distinction substantially narrows the potential class and the purchases eligible for compensation.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

The proposed action focuses on products purchased after the agreement took effect on Oct. 31, 2018. It includes devices and accessories sold under the Apple and Beats brands but excludes products supplied through mobile-network contracts.

The claim’s central allegations are:

• Apple and Amazon restricted marketplace access for independent resellers.
• Fewer sellers meant consumers had fewer competing offers.
• Reduced competition allegedly increased marketplace prices.
• Eligible buyers may be automatically included under Britain’s opt-out collective-action system.
• The requested damages reportedly total approximately £900 million.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows a representative to pursue competition damages for an eligible group without requiring every consumer to file an individual case. Class members usually remain included unless they formally opt out.

These remain allegations. Apple and Amazon have not been found liable, and the claimants must prove that the agreement breached UK competition rules, caused higher prices and produced measurable losses.

Earlier Claim Failed Certification

A similar case led by consumer-law academic Christine Riefa was previously rejected. The tribunal raised concerns about the proposed representative and litigation-funding arrangements rather than issuing a final ruling on whether the 2018 agreement was lawful.

The renewed action uses a different proposed class representative and revised legal structure. Tribunal approval means the case may move toward disclosure, economic analysis and trial unless the parties settle or successfully challenge the certification decision.

The dispute is separate from the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s Amazon Marketplace investigation. That investigation examined Amazon’s treatment of seller data, Buy Box placement and Prime delivery terms. Amazon offered commitments addressing those concerns in 2023.

Conclusion

The ruling creates significant legal exposure for Apple and Amazon, but £900 million is a claimed amount—not an ordered payment. The case will depend on transaction data and economic evidence showing whether marketplace restrictions reduced competition and raised consumer prices. For affected buyers, compensation remains uncertain until liability and damages are established through a judgment or settlement.