Amazon Fined 10 Million Euros for Unfair Commercial Practices: A Lesson in Transparency and Consumer Protection

The Antitrust has imposed fines of 10 million euros on two Amazon companies, Amazon Services Europe and Amazon EU, for engaging in unfair commercial practices. Specifically, the antitrust found that Amazon had pre-selected periodic purchases on its website, which limited consumers’ freedom of choice and induced them to buy products periodically even if they did not necessarily need them.

According to the Antitrust, this conduct violated the principle of professional diligence that requires online operators like Amazon to provide interfaces that allow consumers to make free and informed choices during the purchasing process. Initially, the investigation also raised concerns about the pre-selection of paid fast delivery, but Amazon has since committed to only predefining the free delivery option in the future.

To address consumer complaints and concerns about these practices, as part of their commitments, both companies will offer compensation to customers who contacted customer service to report issues related to these practices in 2023. This decision by the Antitrust serves as a reminder that companies must uphold fair and transparent practices when it comes to online commerce in order to protect consumer rights and ensure a level playing field in the market.