Apple and Amazon have successfully defended against a major lawsuit in the UK accusing the tech giants of colluding to limit resellers of new Apple products on Amazon’s website. The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled on Tuesday that the case could not proceed.
The lawsuit, filed by consumer law academic Christine Riefa on behalf of approximately 36 million British consumers, alleged that Apple and Amazon reached an agreement in 2018 to bar most resellers of Apple and Beats-branded products from Amazon’s UK marketplace. Riefa’s legal team claimed the agreement reduced competition, negatively impacting consumers.
The lawsuit, valued at £494 million ($602 million) plus interest, was dismissed after the tribunal concluded that Riefa lacked “sufficient independence or robustness” to adequately represent the claimant class, citing concerns about third-party funding for the litigation.
Both Apple and Amazon denied the allegations, describing the case as “without merit” and urging the tribunal to reject the claim.
The tribunal’s decision to block the case at this early stage is considered unusual, as certification for such lawsuits typically has a low threshold.
Riefa’s lawyers, as well as spokespeople for Apple and Amazon, have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Boluwatife Enome
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