The EU Is Investigating Amazon for Anti-Competitive Behavior

Commissioner Vestager pledges ‘a very close look’

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into whether Amazon is using data from independent sellers on its platform for competitive advantage.

A statement from the Commission pointed to Amazon’s dual—and perhaps conflicting—roles as a retailer of products and as a marketplace where other merchants also sell goods.

“When providing a marketplace for independent sellers, Amazon continuously collects data about the activity on its platform,” the Commission said in its announcement. “Based on the Commission’s preliminary fact-finding, Amazon appears to use competitively sensitive information—about marketplace sellers, their products and transactions on the marketplace.”

The Commission said it will carry out a thorough investigation “as a matter of priority.”

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