'Suffered for many years': Google ordered to pay $1.5 billion to PriceRunner in Swedish antitrust ruling
A Swedish court ruled on Wednesday that Alphabet Inc.'s Google must pay 14.3 billion Swedish crowns (about $1.5 billion) in antitrust damages to PriceRunner, the price comparison platform owned by Klarna.
"PriceRunner is considered to have suffered damage as a result of Google having illegally favoured its price comparison service for many years," the Stockholm Patent and Market Court said in a statement, as cited by Reuters.
In 2022, PriceRunner sued Google for around €2.1 billion ($2.4 billion), alleging the company breached antitrust laws by favouring its own comparison shopping services in search results.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm rejected most of PriceRunner's claims but awarded the company 14.3 billion Swedish crowns (about $1.5 billion) in damages, following the European Union's antitrust findings against Google's abuse of market dominance.
The ruling can be appealed.
PriceRunner argued that Google had abused its dominant position in online search for more than a decade by giving preferential treatment to its own comparison shopping service over rival platforms, as cited by Bloomberg.
Following the judgment, Klarna said the damages awarded on Wednesday compensate PriceRunner for revenue lost due to Google's preferential treatment of its own comparison shopping service, adding that the practice also increased costs for consumers.
"PriceRunner is considered to have suffered damage as a result of Google having illegally favoured its price comparison service for many years," the Stockholm Patent and Market Court said in a statement, as cited by Reuters.
In 2022, PriceRunner sued Google for around €2.1 billion ($2.4 billion), alleging the company breached antitrust laws by favouring its own comparison shopping services in search results.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm rejected most of PriceRunner's claims but awarded the company 14.3 billion Swedish crowns (about $1.5 billion) in damages, following the European Union's antitrust findings against Google's abuse of market dominance.
The ruling can be appealed.
PriceRunner argued that Google had abused its dominant position in online search for more than a decade by giving preferential treatment to its own comparison shopping service over rival platforms, as cited by Bloomberg.
Following the judgment, Klarna said the damages awarded on Wednesday compensate PriceRunner for revenue lost due to Google's preferential treatment of its own comparison shopping service, adding that the practice also increased costs for consumers.
Next Story