Moltiply contends that Google's conduct between 2010 and 2017 impeded the growth of its subsidiary, 7Pixel, by unfairly promoting its own Google Shopping service over competing platforms like Trovaprezzi.it. In a statement released by the Italian company, the claim asserts that these actions by the tech giant stifled competition and caused significant financial harm to 7Pixel.
This legal challenge follows a landmark ruling by the European Commission in 2017, which found Google guilty of leveraging its search engine dominance to favor its own price comparison shopping service, thereby disadvantaging smaller European rivals. Google subsequently lost its final appeal against the €2.42 billion fine imposed by the EU in September.
The European Commission's earlier findings appear to provide a foundation for Moltiply's lawsuit, as the Italian company now seeks to recover losses it claims to have incurred as a direct result of Google's anti-competitive practices.
While an Italian spokesperson for Google has declined to offer immediate comments on the matter, this lawsuit represents a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of Google's market power in Europe and the potential financial repercussions for its past conduct. The outcome of this legal battle in the Milan court will be closely watched by businesses across the continent that compete with Google's various online services.