Key points:
- Amazon has been fined in Italy for unfair business practices.
- The €10 million fine was imposed for Amazon automatically setting the purchase of many products to “regular.”
- The Italian antitrust authority stressed that this limited consumer choice.
- Amazon is unlikely to feel the fine, as it makes significant profits.
Rome, April 24, 2024 – The Italian antitrust authority has fined US retail giant Amazon €10 million for unfair business practices, according to a report by DPA.
The authority justified its decision on Wednesday by stating that on the Italian website of the online retailer, the option to purchase many products was set to “regular” instead of “one-time,” which significantly limited the choice for consumers. The case concerns two Amazon subsidiaries – Amazon Services Europe based in Luxembourg and Amazon EU.
The fine is unlikely to have a major impact on the company, as it made a profit of more than €10 billion in the last quarter of last year alone.
Additional information:
- Decision of the Italian antitrust authority:Â https://www.agcm.it/Â (in Italian)
- DPA press release:Â https://www.reuters.com/technology/italian-court-cancels-antitrust-fines-apple-amazon-2022-10-03/Â (in English)
