Amazon hopes to dodge EU fine by making changes to ‘anti-competitive’ practices
Amazon has told EU antitrust regulators that it is willing to halt online-selling practices deemed as anti-competitive, in a bid to bat away two investigations.
The tech titan could face a heavy fine if the investigations continue, with new EU restrictions set to target the marketing practices used by Amazon from next year.
Now, the e-commerce giant has said it will not use sellers’ data for its own private label products, according to the watchdog.
Amazon has been probed by the European Commission for using its position and data to promote its own products, providing it with an unfair edge over competitors selling items on the website.
Sellers will be treated equally when their offers are ranked for a ‘buy box’ on the site that drives the majority of sales, as well as creating a new feature for rivals depending on price and delivery.
Rivals and consumers can give feedback on the idea until 9 September, when the Commission will choose if it will accept the offer or demand more.
“No company cares more about small businesses or has done more to support them over the past two decades than Amazon,” a spokesperson added.
Amazon could be fined up to 10 per cent of its global turnover if it is deemed to have breached EU rules.
The tech giant said it had “serious concerns” about upcoming regulation, the Digital Markets Act, which it claimed was “unfairly targeting Amazon and a few other US companies.”
Amazon also said it disagreed with “several conclusions” made by the Commission.
Despite these factors, the firm said it had “engaged constructively with the Commission to address their concerns and preserve our ability to serve European customers and the more than 185,000 European small and medium-sized businesses selling through our stores.”