Amazon offers to change marketplace rules to address CMA concerns
Amazon has offered to change its marketplace rules to address competition concerns raised by the Competition and Markets Authority.
If the proposals are accepted, the CMA said it considered that third-party sellers’ product offers on Amazon’s platform would have a “fair chance” of being prominently displayed to customers in the ‘Buy Box’ on a product page when they are competing against Amazon’s own product offers.
It also said that the commitments would aim to prevent Amazon from using data that it obtains from third-party sellers to give itself an unfair competitive advantage.
The news follows the launch investigation by the CMA in July 2022.
Ann Pope, senior director for enforcement at the CMA, said: “Amazon’s commitments to the CMA will help ensure that third-party sellers on Amazon Marketplace can compete on a level-playing field against Amazon’s own retail business and, ultimately, mean that customers in the UK get a better deal.
“The CMA took this action after it heard concerns that Amazon was using its strength in the market to gain an advantage over thousands of businesses which use Amazon Marketplace to reach customers.”
The CMA said it is now consulting on Amazon’s commitments, but added that they would be likely its address its concerns.
