Google Faces £1bn UK Lawsuit Over Alleged Play Store Charges

Google is facing a lawsuit seeking more than £1 billion in damages over allegations that it abused its dominant position in the mobile app market by charging excessive commissions through its Play Store.

The class action, involving about 20 million UK consumers and businesses, is being heard by the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. The case covers purchases made through Google Play between October 1, 2015 and July 31, 2026.

The claim alleges that Google charged app developers commissions of up to 30 per cent on purchases made through the Play Store. It argues that developers passed the additional costs on to consumers through higher prices.

The case covers paid applications, in-app purchases, subscriptions and upgrades, including purchases linked to gaming, dating, fitness and music services.

According to the claim, consumers may have indirectly paid more for items such as game upgrades, additional features, virtual currency and subscription services because of the commissions charged by Google.

The legal action was brought by Liz Coll, a consumer technology policy expert and former Citizens Advice manager. Law firm Hausfeld is representing the claimants.

Google has denied the allegations and said it will defend the case vigorously. The company argues that Android provides consumers with greater choice than competing mobile platforms and that Google Play charges some of the lowest fees in the market.

The trial follows a similar legal challenge against Apple, in which the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled last year that Apple had abused its dominant position by charging excessive commissions on app sales and in-app purchases.

Google has also recently faced another UK legal challenge brought by app developers. In September, the Competition Appeal Tribunal approved a £260 million settlement involving claims over Google’s Play Store commissions. Google denied liability in that case.

The current consumer case is expected to examine whether Google’s alleged commissions were excessive and whether the costs were ultimately passed on to users.

If the claim succeeds, affected consumers and businesses could receive compensation, although the amount would depend on the tribunal’s findings on the alleged overcharges and how much of those costs were passed on to customers.