---
title: "Apple, Amazon fight off $600mn UK lawsuit over alleged 'collusion'"
description: "Apple and Amazon have successfully fought off a mass lawsuit in Britain over alleged collusion between the tech giants to remove resellers of new Apple products from Amazon's website, a tribunal ruled on Tuesday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "UK COLLUSION LAWSUIT"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-14-apple-amazon-fight-off-600mn-uk-lawsuit-over-alleged-collusion/"
published: "2025-01-14T21:49:01"
updated: "2025-01-14T21:49:02"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 175
---

# Apple, Amazon fight off $600mn UK lawsuit over alleged 'collusion'

> Apple  and Amazon  have successfully fought off a mass lawsuit in Britain over alleged collusion between the tech giants to remove resellers of new Apple products from Amazon's website, a tribunal ruled on Tuesday.

By Reuters · Published 14 January 2025, 23:49 SAST · Updated 14 January 2025, 23:49 SAST

## Key points
- In a legal showdown reminiscent of a tech-themed soap opera, a consumer law academic's attempt to take on Apple and Amazon over alleged anti-competitive practices has been thwarted, as the tribunal deemed her representation of 36 million disgruntled customers lacking the necessary pizzazz.
- A lawsuit led by academic Christine Riefa claims Apple and Amazon conspired to limit competition for Apple and Beats products in the UK.
- The case involves around 36 million consumers and is valued at £494 million ($602 million) plus interest.
- Apple and Amazon argued the lawsuit lacks merit, prompting the Competition Appeal Tribunal to reject it.
- The tribunal's decision to deny certification is notable, given the typically low threshold for such cases.

## Content

The lawsuit was brought by consumer law academic Christine Riefa on behalf of around 36 million British consumers who had bought Apple or Beats products.

Riefa's lawyers alleged that Apple and Amazon reached an agreement in 2018 to bar the vast majority of resellers of Apple and Beats-branded products from Amazon's marketplace in the United Kingdom, reducing competition for those products.

Apple and Amazon said the case, valued at 494 million pounds ($602-million) plus interest, was without merit and asked the Competition Appeal Tribunal to refuse to let it proceed.

The tribunal ruled that the case could not continue because Riefa had not demonstrated "sufficient independence or robustness" to represent the claimant class, in relation to third-party funding for the litigation.

Riefa's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did spokespeople for Apple and Amazon.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal's refusal to certify the case, an early step in such litigation, is unusual as the bar for certification is relatively low.

Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Catarina Demony and Emelia Sithole-Matarise