EU Commission fines Google over Shopping (2017)
The European Commission fined Google €2.42 billion after finding it gave its own comparison-shopping service top placement while pushing rivals far down search results. The probe grew from complaints by small comparison sites, including the UK's Foundem, dating back to 2009.
Google was ordered to stop the conduct and changed how it displays shopping ads.
The EU's Court of Justice confirmed the decision in 2024, creating a settled legal finding that private plaintiffs could build damages claims on.
PriceRunner's Swedish win rests directly on this finding. Without the confirmed EU violation, the damages case would have had no foundation.
