Google sued by Swedish company for more than $8 billion in compensation

Pricerunner is asking Google to pay more than $8 billion in damages for favoring its own price comparison service Google Shopping in search results, disadvantaging independent competitors.

On October 20, a Swedish court began hearing a lawsuit filed by the price comparison site Pricerunner, owned by Klarna, against the technology group Google, demanding more than $8 billion in compensation for prioritizing the promotion of its own price comparison service Google Shopping in search results, to the detriment of independent competitors.

The Swedish tech startup filed a lawsuit in Stockholm's Patent and Market Court in 2022 after the European Union's (EU) High Court ruled that Google "violated EU antitrust law by manipulating search results to favor its own price comparison service."

In a statement, fintech group Klarna - the unit that acquired Pricerunner in 2022 - stated that the European Commission had concluded in 2017 that "Google violated competition law by prioritizing its own shopping service." This ruling was upheld by the European Court of Justice in 2024.

“Klarna now seeks compensation under that judgment,” the statement said.

Speaking to reporters via email, Klarna spokesman John Craske said on October 20 that “we are asking for approximately 78 billion krona (equivalent to 8.3 billion USD), based on an economic analysis of the damage suffered,” adding that the compensation amount requested “continues to increase daily.”

Pricerunner initially said it was suing Google for around $2 billion, but asserted at the time that “the final award will be significantly higher” due to “continuing infringement.”

In a statement on October 18, Klarna stressed that “to reach consumers online, businesses need to be visible in search results. And here, Google has almost complete control,” noting that more than 90% of searches in Europe take place on Google’s platform. Klarna also said that before Google launched its own price comparison service, independent price comparison sites often ranked high in search results.

According to the court, Google argued that “it has not abused its dominant position since the European Commission's decision, and Pricerunner has not suffered any damage whatsoever.” Google has not made any further comments.

The trial is expected to last until December 19./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/google-bi-cong-ty-thuy-dien-khoi-kien-doi-boi-thuong-hon-8-ty-usd-post1071485.vnp