Apple, Amazon Face Revived UK Consumer Lawsuit Over Product Sales

Apple and Amazon are facing a revived consumer lawsuit in Britain after the Competition Appeal Tribunal allowed part of a legal claim alleging that the technology giants restricted competition in the sale of Apple products on Amazon’s UK marketplace.

The tribunal ruled on Monday that claims concerning Apple products purchased through Amazon’s marketplace could proceed. The case alleges that Apple and Amazon reached an agreement in 2018 that limited which sellers could offer Apple and Beats-branded products on Amazon’s UK website, potentially reducing competition and pushing up prices.

The portion of the claim allowed to proceed is estimated by the claimant to be worth between £289 million and £306 million, including interest.

However, the tribunal rejected a broader part of the case concerning Apple products bought directly from Apple and from other retailers. Judge Kelyn Bacon said there was a realistic basis for examining whether restrictions on resellers could have resulted in higher prices for consumers purchasing Apple products through Amazon.

The judge, however, found insufficient evidence at this stage to support the wider allegation that the alleged conduct had also increased prices for products sold through Apple’s own stores or through other retailers.

The case is being brought by JLP A&A Class Representative Limited, led by Justin Le Patourel. The proposed collective proceedings allege that Apple and Amazon entered into agreements that restricted third-party resellers of Apple and Beats products on Amazon Marketplace.

According to the claim’s official website, the action is being pursued as an opt-out collective claim, meaning eligible consumers covered by the class definition would be included unless they choose to opt out. The claim concerns eligible purchases of new Apple or Beats products made in the UK from October 31, 2018, subject to the conditions of the proposed class.

The allegations centre on arrangements under which Apple allegedly identified authorised resellers permitted to sell its products on Amazon, while other third-party sellers could be excluded from the marketplace. The claimant argues that the arrangements restricted competition and resulted in consumers paying higher prices.

Apple and Amazon have previously rejected allegations of wrongdoing in related litigation.

The latest proceedings follow an earlier attempt to bring a similar consumer case. In 2025, the tribunal refused to certify a lawsuit brought by consumer law academic Christine Riefa, citing concerns over the proposed class representative and litigation funding arrangements. The case was subsequently refiled with Le Patourel as the proposed representative.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal’s records show that the current case, JLP A&A Class Representative Limited v Apple Inc. and Others, involves Apple and Amazon entities and concerns alleged breaches of UK competition law and, for the relevant earlier period, European Union competition law. A certification hearing was held in June 2026.

The latest ruling does not establish that Apple and Amazon breached competition law. Instead, it allows the specified part of the consumer claim to move forward so the allegations can be examined through the collective proceedings.

The case could ultimately have significant implications for consumers and third-party sellers if the allegations are established, particularly over the way major technology companies control access to online marketplaces and the prices consumers pay for branded products.