PRESS RELEASE - 27.06.2017

The decision by the European Commission to hit Google with a record fine and force it to change its business practices is a landmark development towards more relevant search results for consumers.

As a formal complainant in this competition case, The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) welcomes this decision. Throughout the inquiry BEUC has made the case that consumers expect Google to show quality and neutral results instead of search hits which favour the company’s own business.

Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC, commented:

“This decision is a game-changer. The Commission confirmed that consumers do not see what is most relevant for them on the world’s most used search engine but rather what is best for Google. Now we need to see real changes to the company’s business practices so that consumer choice prevails when shoppers search Google for the product they want.

“Today consumers and innovation win. Google’s anti-competitive behaviour stifles innovation because it prevents customers from reaching competitors through its search engine. This harms consumers who are faced with less choice and, eventually, higher prices.

“Google’s illegal conduct in shopping services is just the tip of the iceberg. The Commission should now conclude its other investigations against Google such as how it uses its mobile operating system Android. Consumers will only benefit from the digital economy if markets remain innovative and competitive.

“Today’s decision is an important precedent of how the Commission assesses the impact of anti-competitive behaviour in digital markets on consumers.”