A Swedish court has opened hearings in a case brought by Klarna’s price comparison subsidiary, Pricerunner, against Google. The company is seeking around EUR 8.3 billion in damages, alleging that Google abused its market dominance by prioritising its own shopping comparison service in search results. The case, filed in 2022 with the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm, builds on earlier findings by the European Commission.
In 2017, EU competition authorities concluded that Google had breached antitrust rules by giving preferential treatment to its own shopping comparison product. That decision was upheld by the European Court of Justice in 2024, prompting Klarna to pursue compensation for what it describes as long-term harm to Pricerunner’s business.
Klarna claims ongoing market distortion
According to representatives from Klarna, the damages claim is based on economic assessments of the financial impact caused by Google’s practices. The company maintains that losses continue to increase as the alleged unfair advantage persists. Klarna’s statement also noted that Google’s control of online visibility remains extensive, with more than 90% of searches in Europe conducted via its platform. Before Google launched its own comparison service, independent sites reportedly appeared more prominently in search results.
Google officials have rejected the allegations, stating that the company complies with European competition rulings. They argue that the adjustments made in 2017 created fairer conditions for rivals, noting that the number of price comparison platforms participating in Google’s shopping service in Europe has risen from seven to over 1,500 since the changes were implemented.
The proceedings, expected to continue until 19 December, are one of the largest competition-related damages claims ever brought against a major technology company in Europe. The outcome could influence how antitrust rulings are enforced in digital markets and how compensation is calculated for affected firms.
