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Amazon Loses Appeal Bid in UK Over Multi-Billion Pound Lawsuits

By  |  February 26, 2026

Amazon has failed in its latest attempt to halt two major lawsuits in the United Kingdom that could expose the company to claims totaling as much as 4 billion pounds ($5.41 billion), according to Reuters.

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    The legal actions, brought on behalf of retailers and consumers, accuse the online retail giant of abusing its dominant market position. On Thursday, the Court of Appeal denied Amazon permission to challenge an earlier ruling that allowed the cases to move forward, per Reuters.

    One of the lawsuits was initiated by Andreas Stephan, a competition law academic, representing more than 200,000 third-party sellers. The claim, valued at up to 2.7 billion pounds, alleges that Amazon unfairly manipulates the “Buy Box” feature on its platform to benefit its own commercial interests. Lawyers for the claimants argue that the company favors products that use its logistics centers and delivery network, according to Reuters.

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    In a separate case, consumer advocate Robert Hammond is seeking up to 1.3 billion pounds in damages on behalf of millions of Amazon customers. The claim similarly alleges that the company engaged in anti-competitive practices that harmed consumers, per Reuters.

    Read more: Spain’s Watchdog Says Apple and Amazon Fell Short on Antitrust Order

    Amazon has previously rejected the allegations, maintaining that the claims lack merit. The company had sought to prevent the cases from proceeding, arguing that they should not be certified at an early stage because the economic methodology underpinning the claims was flawed, according to Reuters.

    However, the Competition Appeal Tribunal certified both cases last year on an opt-out basis. This means that affected retailers and consumers are automatically included in the litigation unless they choose to withdraw.

    Amazon subsequently requested permission to appeal that certification decision. The Court of Appeal’s refusal on Thursday clears the way for the cases to continue through the legal process, according to Reuters.

    The ruling marks another setback for the technology giant as it faces mounting scrutiny in the UK over its competitive practices and treatment of third-party sellers and customers.

    Source: Reuters