Retailers announced on Thursday their plans to file a £1 billion ($1.3 billion) class action against Amazon in London, accusing the tech giant of illegally misusing their data to enhance its sales and profits.
The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) is spearheading the claim, alleging that Amazon exploited data belonging to U.K. retailers and manipulated its “Buy Box” feature to redirect revenue and profits from these retailers to itself. The “Buy Box” prominently features the “buy now” and “add to cart” buttons on Amazon’s website, influencing purchasing decisions.
According to BIRA, Amazon’s actions date back to October 2015. The association contends that the online retail giant used confidential, commercially valuable information to guide decisions on introducing new products, designing them, and bringing them to market. This, coupled with the “Buy Box” manipulation, enabled Amazon to enter markets and siphon profits from U.K. retailers.
Amazon has yet to respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
