UK tribunal allows narrower Apple, Amazon claim to proceed

The Competition Appeal Tribunal has allowed a narrower part of a consumer lawsuit against Apple and Amazon to proceed, covering Apple products bought through Amazon’s UK marketplace. Claims about products sold directly by Apple and through other retailers were rejected, leaving allegations about marketplace competition and prices unresolved. The case concerns a 2018 agreement between Apple and Amazon. Consumers represented in the claim allege that the agreement restricted which third-party sellers could offer Apple products on Amazon, reducing competition and raising prices. The tribunal’s decision permits the marketplace-purchase claim to continue; it does not establish that the agreement restricted competition or caused prices to rise. Judge Kelyn Bacon described the claims relating to Amazon marketplace purchases as plausible, credible and grounded in the facts. The tribunal found the wider theory, concerning Apple sales and other retailers, too complex and speculative to proceed on the evidence presented. The ruling therefore limits the case to purchases made through Amazon’s marketplace rather than resolving the broader allegations.