Apple and Amazon have successfully defended themselves against a £600 million ($602 million) lawsuit in the UK, where they were accused of colluding to eliminate resellers of new Apple and Beats products from Amazon’s marketplace. The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled on Tuesday that the case, brought by consumer law expert Christine Riefa, could not proceed.
The lawsuit claimed that in 2018, the two tech giants had entered into an agreement to restrict the majority of resellers from selling Apple and Beats-branded products on Amazon in the UK, which allegedly led to reduced competition and harm to consumers. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of approximately 36 million British consumers who had purchased Apple or Beats products.
In its defense, Apple and Amazon argued that the case lacked merit and sought to have it dismissed. They contended that there was no evidence to support the claims of collusion. The tribunal ultimately sided with the tech companies, stating that Riefa had failed to prove her “sufficient independence or robustness” to represent the claimant class. The issue of third-party funding for the litigation was also raised as a point of concern.
The ruling marks a significant victory for the two tech giants, who have faced increasing scrutiny over their business practices in recent years. Despite the legal setback, neither Riefa’s legal team nor representatives from Apple and Amazon have yet commented on the decision.
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