Swedish court says Google is to pay $1.5 billion to Klarna in antitrust damages

Swedish court orders Google to pay website €1.3bn in competition case damages

Other firms have filed damages claims against the world's largest search engine

Google Ordered To Pay $2 Billion In Comparison Shopping Case – channelnews

Google has been ordered to pay almost A$2 billion in damages after a Swedish court ruled in favour of PriceRunner, the price comparison business owned by Klarna, in a long-running competition dispute over the search giant’s shopping services. The decision was handed down by Stockholm’s Patent and Market Court, which found that Google had unfairly favoured its own comparison shopping platform over rival services. While the court rejected a significant portion of PriceRunner’s original claim, it still awarded damages of almost A$2 billion, making it the largest compensation order in a Swedish competition case. PriceRunner had initially sought around A$12.3 billion in compensation, arguing that Google’s conduct had reduced traffic and revenue for competing comparison shopping websites over many years. Following the ruling, Klarna’s share price rose by more than 5 per cent in pre-market trading, reflecting investor confidence in the outcome. The legal battle stems from a landmark European Commission decision in 2017, when Google was fined A$4.3 billion for abusing its dominant position in online search by giving preferential treatment to its own shopping comparison service. That ruling opened the door for businesses across Europe to pursue separate compensation claims for financial losses linked to Google’s conduct. PriceRunner argued that Google’s search results unfairly promoted its own shopping listings ahead of competing services, making it more difficult for independent comparison websites to attract visitors and compete on equal terms. Klarna said the court’s decision recognises that Google’s actions reduced competition and ultimately increased costs for consumers by limiting choice. Google has rejected the ruling and confirmed it is considering an appeal. The company maintains that changes introduced to its shopping platform in 2017 have created opportunities for hundreds of comparison shopping services operating across more than 1,500 European websites. The Swedish decision is the latest in a series of legal setbacks for Google in Europe. Last year, a German court ordered the company to pay approximately A$1 billion in damages to two comparison shopping businesses, a judgment that Google is also appealing. Similar compensation claims remain before courts in several other European countries. For Australia, the case serves as another reminder of increasing global regulatory scrutiny facing major technology companies. Australian regulators have also examined the market power of large digital platforms in recent years, particularly around online advertising, search and competition. While the Swedish ruling does not directly affect Australian businesses, it could influence future legal challenges involving dominant digital platforms in other markets.