Amazon faces fresh legal action over allegedly inflated prices 

Amazon faces dual class actions alleging inflated prices and unfair practices hitting millions of consumers.

UK consumers are at the centre of another major legal battle with Amazon, as the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) has launched a new collective action alleging that the retail giant’s pricing policies have unfairly inflated costs for shoppers.

This comes just weeks after the Competition Appeal Tribunal certified a separate £1.3 billion claim against Amazon over its controversial “Buy Box” feature. Together, the cases highlight growing scrutiny of how Amazon wields its market power – and the potential for millions of consumers to secure redress.

The new ACSO claim

ACSO has applied to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to represent more than 45 million UK consumers who bought products from third-party sellers on Amazon’s UK marketplace between August 2019 and August 2025.

The claim centres on Amazon’s “price parity” policies, which ACSO says prevent sellers from offering lower prices on other websites, allow Amazon to charge higher fees without fear of being undercut, and leads to UK consumers paying inflated prices, as sellers pass on those costs.

Matthew Maxwell-Scott, executive director of ACSO, said:

“Despite Amazon’s assurances that it is ‘customer-obsessed’, we consider there are strong grounds to argue that UK consumers have paid higher prices because of Amazon’s pricing policies. Collective proceedings are the best way to ensure consumers can obtain redress.”

If the Tribunal allows the case to proceed, all eligible UK consumers will automatically be included under the UK’s “opt-out” system. Consumers don’t have to pay to take part, and won’t be liable if the claim fails.

The Buy Box case already certified

This isn’t the only class action Amazon faces in the UK. In July 2025, the Tribunal officially certified a £1.3 billion collective action led by consumer advocate Robert Hammond, covering 49.4 million UK consumers who purchased products on Amazon.co.uk between October 2015 and June 2023.

That claim alleges Amazon’s “Buy Box” – the default offer most shoppers click on – misleads consumers by prioritising products that benefit Amazon financially, often at the expense of cheaper alternatives. Investigations suggest around 80% of Amazon purchases are made through the Buy Box.

The Tribunal ruled that Hammond’s case could proceed on an opt-out basis, meaning affected consumers are automatically included unless they opt out. If successful, the claim could result in significant compensation for millions of UK shoppers.

Why both cases matter

Taken together, the ACSO claim and the Buy Box lawsuit paint a picture of how Amazon’s dominance in online retail may be costing consumers:

• Price parity policies allegedly restrict competition across the wider internet.
• The Buy Box algorithm allegedly steers shoppers towards higher-priced offers.

Both claims argue that Amazon’s rules and systems tilt the playing field, suppressing competition and leaving UK consumers paying more than they should.

A global pattern of scrutiny

Amazon’s practices are under investigation worldwide. Regulators in Germany, Japan, Canada, Italy, and the US have all opened cases or imposed fines related to its marketplace conduct. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority has already forced Amazon to reform parts of its Buy Box.

The ACSO and Hammond claims add to this mounting pressure – and could mean that UK consumers, for once, see direct compensation for alleged overcharging.

What consumers should do

For now, there’s no action required. If you bought products on Amazon during the relevant periods, you are automatically included in both claims:

• Buy Box claim: Purchases on Amazon.co.uk between October 2015 – June 2023.
• ACSO claim: Purchases from third-party sellers on Amazon.co.uk between August 2019 – August 2025.

You don’t need to pay to be included, and you won’t be liable for costs. We’ll be tracking both claims closely, and will continue to report on what they mean for your pocket. Sign up to Consumer Voice for updates.