United Kingdom: Announced closure of CMA investigation into Amazon regarding competition practices in its marketplace

On 3 November 2023, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced it had accepted Amazon's commitments in the context of its investigation into Amazon's marketplace practices. This investigation aimed to address potential anti-competitive behavior by Amazon, including issues related to the use of third-party seller data, product selection within the Buy Box, and the labeling of products as Prime on its UK marketplace. As a result of this investigation, the CMA successfully secured commitments from Amazon, ensuring fair competition for third-party sellers on the Amazon marketplace and equitable access to the best deals for UK customers. Under these commitments, Amazon is prohibited from using third-party sellers' data to gain an unfair competitive edge. Additionally, Amazon will enable sellers to negotiate their own delivery rates with independent providers. The CMA will appoint an independent trustee to oversee and ensure compliance with these commitments.