Amazon logo surrounded by moneyImage source, Getty Images

If a legal claim is submitted against the technology giant, Amazon shoppers in the UK could be in for a windfall.

The company is accused of breaching competition law and causing customers to pay more.

Julie Hunter is a consumer-rights champion who says products sold on Amazon.co.uk and the Amazon app obscured better- value deals.

The action is expected to be filed by the end of the month.

Amazon is the world's biggest e- commerce company.

The "buy box" is where most of the purchases are made.

Independent sellers are excluded from the buy box even when they offer the same product cheaper or on better terms according to Ms Hunter.

Two-thirds of shoppers in the UK use Amazon at least once a month, according to surveys.

According to Ms Hunter, Amazon uses tricks of design to manipulate consumer choice and direct customers towards features.

According to Ms Hunter, the featured offer is the only one considered and selected by the vast majority of users, who wrongly assume it is the best deal.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London will be where the legal action will be filed.

It was difficult to assess the likelihood of success, according to David Greene.

"Amazon will fight the case at all stages, but the tribunal has made a number of orders recently for similar actions, certifying the opt out process," he said.

Big tech companies have a lot of resources to fight.

Anyone living in the UK who has made a purchase on Amazon.co.uk or the Amazon mobile app since October 2016 is eligible to join the class.

The optout collective-action claim means that affected shoppers will not have to pay for the class action to take place.

Competition laws are there to protect everyone, according to one of the partners. They make sure that people can make informed choices and not be led into making selections which benefit the companies they interact with.

Consumers aren't being treated fairly by Amazon.

Ms Hunter said thatAmazon shouldn't be allowed to set the rules in its favor. This action is brought about by that.

The claim is without merit and we are confident that it will be clear through the legal process.

More than half of all physical product sales on our UK store are from independent sellers, and Amazon has always focused on supporting the 85,000 businesses that sell their products on our UK store.

We try to feature offers that give customers low prices and quick delivery.

The European Commission is looking into Amazon.

The same alleged self-preferencing by Amazon is being evaluated from November 2020.

The rules and criteria for the buy box were found to favor Amazon's own retail and marketplace businesses.

These concerns are being addressed by commitments offered by Amazon.

The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Amazon's business practices, including how it sets the criteria for selecting the featured offer.

The European Commission's investigation was followed by theCMA.

  • Compensation
  • Amazon
  • Competition and Markets Authority