Italy's Moltiply sues Google for$3.34 billion over market dominance abuse
A Google logo is seen at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, U.S., November 1, 2018.PHOTO: REUTERS
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Italy's Moltiply Group (MOL.MI) has filed a €2.97 billion ($3.34 billion) lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.'s Google, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant market position to the detriment of its subsidiary, 7Pixel.
The legal action was filed in a Milan court, the company announced Friday.
Moltiply, which operates the prominent Italian price comparison platform Trovaprezzi.it, claims that between 2010 and 2017, Google favored its own Google Shopping service over competitors in search results.
This conduct, Moltiply alleges, significantly stunted the growth and competitiveness of 7Pixel during that period.
The lawsuit follows a precedent set by the European Commission, which fined Google €2.42 billion in 2017 for breaching EU antitrust rules by promoting its own price comparison service in search results while demoting those of rivals.
In September 2023, Google lost its final appeal against the penalty at the EU Court of Justice, a ruling that Moltiply cites as a key foundation for its damages claim.
An Italian spokesperson for Google declined to comment on the new lawsuit.
Moltiply stated that Google's actions not only undermined fair competition but also resulted in 'severe economic harm' to its business.
The company is now seeking compensation for what it calls "years of lost revenue and market distortion."
This case adds to the mounting legal and regulatory pressures Google faces in Europe, where authorities continue to scrutinize Big Tech's competitive practices.
If successful, the lawsuit could open the door for similar claims from other affected firms.
The outcome of this case could significantly influence future antitrust enforcement and private litigation involving digital platforms in the EU.
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