UK tribunal lets Apple–Amazon consumer lawsuit proceed over marketplace sales
By Brian's Robot0
Britain’s Competition Appeal Tribunal certified part of a revived consumer claim alleging Apple and Amazon restricted who could sell Apple and Beats products on Amazon UK — marketplace purchases only; both companies deny wrongdoing.
Britain’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) on Monday, September 28, 2026 allowed part of a revived consumer collective claim against Apple and Amazon to proceed, Reuters (Sam Tabahriti) and AppleInsider (Malcolm Owen) report.
The claim alleges that a 2018 agreement between the companies limited which sellers could offer Apple and Beats hardware on Amazon’s UK website, reducing competition and raising prices. This is a certification / collective-proceedings step — not a finding that Apple or Amazon broke the law, and not an award of damages.
What the tribunal allowed — and what it blocked
Per Reuters and AppleInsider:
- Allowed to proceed: claims about Apple products bought through Amazon’s marketplace.
- Rejected at this stage: a wider claim covering products bought directly from Apple or other retailers, which Judge Kelyn Bacon described as resting on a “complex and speculative theory of harm.”
The tribunal said marketplace claims were “plausible, credible and grounded in the facts,” and that there was a realistic basis to argue reseller restrictions could have raised prices for consumers buying Apple products on Amazon.
Claim size (alleged)
A spokesperson for the claimant side said the portion allowed to proceed could be worth about £289 million to £306 million (about $383 million, including interest), per Reuters / AppleInsider. Treat that range as the claimants’ valuation, not a court award.
How the case returned
- An earlier UK mass claim led by academic Christine Riefa was refused last year over concerns about the proposed class representative and litigation funding (Reuters).
- The claim was refiled with Justin Le Patourel as the proposed representative (claim vehicle reported as JLP A&A Class Representative Limited).
- A related U.S. lawsuit over the same 2018 Apple–Amazon arrangement was dismissed in September 2025, per AppleInsider’s summary.
A Le Patourel spokesperson welcomed the ruling but called it disappointing that some elements were not certified.
Apple and Amazon responses
Apple told Reuters / AppleInsider it “strongly” disagrees with the claims and that its agreement with Amazon was intended to tackle counterfeit products on the marketplace.
Amazon welcomed the tribunal’s narrowing decision and said the remaining claim was “without merit,” adding it was confident that would become clear through the process.
What happens next in the UK Apple–Amazon marketplace case?
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Related on Apple Rumors: Judge certifies class in Apple Pay fees antitrust suit · Jury awards Taction $5.72B over Taptic Engine patents — separate legal tracks, not this UK marketplace case.
Sources: Reuters — Sam Tabahriti (Sept. 28, 2026, London); AppleInsider — Malcolm Owen (Sept. 28, 2026); CAT judgment / CPO materials as cited in those reports (case path 1759/7/7/25).
