A Swedish court has commenced hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by Pricerunner, a Swedish price comparison site owned by Klarna, against Google. The lawsuit seeks approximately $8.3 billion in damages for allegedly promoting its own shopping comparisons in search results. This action follows a 2022 European Union General Court ruling that Google breached EU antitrust laws by manipulating search results in favor of its own comparison shopping services.
Pricerunner initially filed the suit with the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm in 2022, seeking around $2 billion in damages. However, the company has since increased the amount, citing the ongoing nature of the violation. Klarna, which acquired Pricerunner in 2022, notes that the European Commission ruled in 2017 that Google had violated competition law by favoring its own shopping service. The European Court of Justice upheld this ruling in 2024, prompting Klarna to seek compensation.
According to Klarna, the damages sought are based on an economic analysis of losses incurred, which continue to grow daily. The company argues that Google’s dominance in search results, with over 90 percent of searches in Europe going through its platform, has hindered the visibility of independent price comparison sites like Pricerunner. Prior to Google’s launch of its own price comparison service, independent sites were reportedly shown high up in search results.
Google, on the other hand, argues that it has not abused its dominant position and that Pricerunner has not suffered any damage. The trial, which is scheduled to last until December 19, will examine the merits of these claims and determine the outcome of the lawsuit. The case has significant implications for the online retail landscape in Europe and beyond, highlighting the importance of fair competition in the digital marketplace.
