Amazon, an American multinational technology company that majorly engaged in e-commerce, cloud computing, and online advertising, has been hit with a £1 billion lawsuit by retailers over data misuse.
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has launched a £1 billion ($1.27 billion) class action lawsuit against Amazon.
The retailers alleged that the company is driving independent UK retailers out of its massive online marketplace.
Per a story from The Guardian, Bira, which represents 35,000 suppliers, claims in the case that since October 2015, Amazon has introduced competitive items using shop data.
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According to Bira, Amazon charges its members a non-negotiable 30% fee on each product sold and uses proprietary data to offer cheaper competing items, driving out independent UK businesses.
“Abusive conduct” by Amazon, according to Bira, has been increasing its profits at the expense of tiny independent merchants in the UK, “who are struggling in difficult economic times.”
This lawsuit comes after the Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general filed a complaint against Amazon.com, Inc. on the grounds that the tech and online retailer is a monopolist that illegally maintains its monopoly power through a series of interconnected unfair and anticompetitive business practices.
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