Amazon has rejected allegations from the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) that its pricing policies have forced consumers in the UK to pay inflated prices for goods sold by third-party sellers.
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ACSO filed opt-out collective proceedings this week, claiming Amazon's rules prevented sellers from offering lower prices on other platforms, shielding the company from competition and allowing it to charge higher fees. ACSO argued these costs were ultimately passed on to consumers.
An Amazon spokesman dismissed the case, saying: 'This claim is without merit and we're confident that will become clear through the legal process.' He added that Amazon 'features offers that provide customers with low prices and fast delivery,' citing Profitero data that ranked Amazon the UK's lowest-priced online retailer for five consecutive years.
Amazon also highlighted its role in supporting 100,000 independent businesses selling through its UK store, generating billions in export sales annually.
ACSO's executive director, Matthew Maxwell-Scott, said: 'Millions of people in the UK make purchases on Amazon every day. We consider there are strong grounds to argue that UK consumers have paid higher prices because of Amazon's pricing policies.'
The Competition and Markets Authority and regulators in Germany and Japan previously investigated Amazon's practices.
Source: www.retailgazette.co.uk
