If you’ve shopped on Amazon in the last few years, you could be part of a legal claim worth millions – without even realising it. The case against Amazon’s Buy Box is what’s known as an opt-out collective claim. It’s a powerful legal tool that could see millions of UK shoppers compensated if the claim succeeds.
What is an opt-out collective claim?
An opt-out collective claim is a type of legal action where everyone who meets the eligibility criteria is automatically included – unless they choose to opt out.
You don’t usually need to take immediate action to be part of the claim. However, in some cases you may still need to register or confirm your details later on to make sure you can receive any compensation if the case is successful.
Opt-out claims are designed to make it easier for large groups of people to take on powerful companies, especially when the individual amounts involved are relatively small but the total adds up to a significant loss for consumers.
What is this opt-out claim about?
In this case, the legal action against Amazon alleges that the way its Buy Box works caused UK shoppers to overpay by more than £1 billion in total. On an individual level, that might mean paying a few pounds more on a single purchase – but multiplied across millions of shoppers, it’s a huge sum.
The Buy Box is the section of an Amazon product page with the “Add to Basket” and “Buy Now” buttons. Most customers click these without looking for other sellers – but there are often cheaper options elsewhere on the page.
The claim alleges that Amazon prioritised its own offers or certain sellers in the Buy Box, rather than always showing the cheapest option. Amazon denies any wrongdoing, but the claim has been approved to go ahead.
Are you included in the claim?
If you bought products on Amazon.co.uk between 1 October 2015 and 7 June 2023, you may be automatically included. However, you may still need to register or confirm your details at a later stage to receive any compensation. If the case wins, eligible people who have registered will be the first to know how to claim.
How to check if you’re eligible
It only takes a minute to check. If the claim succeeds, you could receive compensation for any overpayments made during the qualifying period.
