A £5 billion ($6.25 billion) competition damages claim has been filed against Google in the UK, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominance in the general search and search advertising markets to overcharge advertisers.
The claim, brought before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) by Or Brook Class Representative Limited, seeks compensation for thousands of UK-based advertisers who have purchased advertising space on Google’s search engine since 1 January 2011. The claimant company is wholly owned and directed by Dr Or Brook, a leading academic in competition law and an Associate Professor at the University of Leeds.
According to the filing, Google is alleged to have engaged in exclusionary conduct by forcing mobile device manufacturers and network operators to pre-install Google Search and Chrome on Android devices, and by paying Apple billions to maintain Google as the default search engine on Safari. These actions, the claim argues, have suppressed competition and inflated the prices businesses pay for online search advertising.
“This class action is about holding Google accountable for its unlawful practices and seeking compensation on behalf of UK advertisers who have been overcharged,” said Dr Brook. “Businesses have had no real choice but to rely on Google Ads for visibility, and this dominance has come at a steep cost.”
The class action is structured as an opt-out claim, meaning all eligible UK advertisers will automatically be included unless they explicitly choose to opt out.
The legal challenge is being spearheaded by Geradin Partners, a law firm known for its focus on competition law and digital markets. The counsel team includes Robert O’Donoghue KC (Brick Court Chambers), Kieron Beal KC (Blackstone Chambers), and others. The claim is further supported by expert economists including Professor Fiona Scott Morton of Yale University and Matt Hunt of AlixPartners.
Litigation funding is being provided by Burford Capital, with additional protection in place for adverse costs.
“This is the first UK claim to directly target the inflated costs faced by advertisers on Google’s search platform,” said Damien Geradin, founding partner of Geradin Partners. “We are committed to securing fair compensation for the thousands of businesses that have been harmed.”
