This website has been created to inform members of the public about the opt-out collective claim brought by Julie Hunter against Amazon in relation to its alleged anti-competitive conduct.

Amazon is using its control over access to the Buy Box, which favours Amazon’s own products or products sold by a seller that uses Amazon’s order fulfilment services, to direct customers to purchase certain products despite better deals on the same product being available. 

By steering customers to the prominently-displayed Buy Box, Amazon obscures offers from other sellers, even when they offer a better deal, by hiding them down the page and making them difficult to find.  This means that you, the customer, might have paid more than you needed to for a product.

Julie Hunter alleges that Amazon has breached competition law by favouring its own retail products, or those sold by third-party sellers who use Amazon’s order fulfilment and delivery services, in the so-called “Buy Box”. The design of the product page steers consumers towards the prominently displayed Buy Box, obscuring better offers from other sellers in a significant proportion of cases. In fact, more than 80% of customers buy products on Amazon via the Buy Box.

We believe that Amazon is abusing its dominant position as the marketplace provider to control access to the Buy Box and direct customers to purchase products that benefit its own business, despite better deals being available. This practice harms consumers, restricting choice, preventing them from getting the best deals and causing them to pay more than they should for the same products. We are seeking compensation for those who have suffered loss by paying more than they needed to for the same product.

If you or your business purchased items on Amazon.co.uk or the Amazon app since November 2016, you or your business will be included in the claim and may be eligible to receive compensation. If you or your business have an Amazon account, you can check your purchase history under “Your Orders”. Please register via the website to keep updated and be notified of the latest developments.

UK Buy Box Claim is an “opt-out” claim, meaning that, if you or your business fall within the class that Julie Hunter intends to represent (i.e. if you or your business are based in the UK and purchased goods on Amazon.co.uk or the Amazon app in the last 6 years), you or your business will automatically be included in the claim, unless you choose to opt out.

At this stage, you do not need to do anything. The Competition Appeal Tribunal will confirm the exact scope of who is entitled to be part of the claim some time in 2023. Updates on this and any other developments will be posted promptly on our updates page. We recommend that you register via the form below to receive updates on the case, and notification of any developments, directly to your email address.

As a class member, you will not incur any costs by taking part in the claim, nor will you be liable to Amazon for its costs should the claim be unsuccessful. You can carry on using Amazon’s services as you always have.

Julie Hunter is seeking an estimated aggregate award of damages in the region of £900 million for the class as a whole. Any aggregate award of damages will then need to be distributed to eligible class members that come forward to claim their share.

If you choose not to be part of the claim, you will need to actively opt out once the claim is certified. There will be the option to do this on our website as soon as the claim reaches the certification stage.

A collective action/claim is brought in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal by a class representative on behalf of a group of claimants who have allegedly suffered similar loss as a result of a breach of competition law. The group of claimants is referred to as a “class” and each claimant in the group is referred to as a “class member”.

Collective actions are an effective way for consumers to stand up to large and powerful organisations, and seek damages for harm caused, in cases where it would be near impossible for individual consumers to bring a claim.

UK Buy Box Claim is brought on an opt-out basis for individuals and businesses domiciled in the UK. If you live, or your business is domiciled, in the UK, and you or your business fall within the definition of the “class”, you or your business will automatically be included in the claim and will be bound by any judgment or settlement unless you choose to opt out of the proceedings. More information regarding opting out of the claim will be posted on the website at the appropriate time.

If you wish to take part in the collective claim and otherwise fit the class definition, but are not living, or your business is not domiciled, in the UK, you will need to opt in to the claim. More information regarding opting in to the claim will be posted on the website at the appropriate time.

Julie Hunter is applying to be certified to act as the class representative in UK Buy Box Claim. If certified, she will conduct the claim against Amazon on behalf of all class members, save those that opt out of the claim. Julie will be responsible for communicating with and issuing formal notices to the class members. She will continue to communicate with the class members via updates and announcements posted on our website, email correspondence and written notices. You can register on our website to receive updates on the claim and be notified of developments.

A collective claim is brought in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal by a class representative on behalf of a group of claimants who have allegedly suffered similar loss as a result of a breach of competition law. The group of claimants is referred to as a ‘class’ and each claimant in the group is referred to as a ‘class member’.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal is a specialist court based in London which hears and decides cases involving competition or economic regulatory issues. It publishes its Rules and Guidance, together with information about what it does, on its website.

UK Buy Box Claim is brought on an opt-out basis for individuals and businesses domiciled in the UK.

If you live, or your business is domiciled, in the UK, and you or your business fall within the definition of the ‘class’, you or your business will automatically be included in the claim and will be bound by any judgment or settlement unless you choose to opt-out of the proceedings. More information regarding opting out of the claim will be posted to this website at the appropriate time.

If you wish to take part in the collective claim and otherwise fit the class definition, but are not living, or your business is not domiciled, in the UK, you will need to opt-in to the claim. More information regarding opting in to the claim will be posted to this website at the appropriate time.

Julie Hunter is applying to be certified to act as the class representative in UK Buy Box Claim. If certified, she will conduct the claim against Amazon on behalf of all class members, save those that opt out of the claim. Julie will be responsible for communicating with and issuing formal notices to the class members. She will continue to communicate with the class members via updates and announcements posted on this website, email correspondence and written notices.