The collective action is being led by consumer technology policy expert Liz Coll and is being heard by the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal. According to The Independent, the claim alleges that Google breached competition law by imposing commissions of up to 30 per cent on developers selling apps and digital content through the Play Store, with those costs ultimately passed on to customers.
The proceedings cover a broad range of digital spending, from paid apps and subscriptions to premium upgrades and purchases made inside games. Google rejects the allegations and says Android users have extensive choice over how and where they obtain applications.
Claim Focuses on Commissions Charged Through Google Play
At the centre of the case is the commission Google charged developers on transactions carried out through its Play Store. The claim argues that the company’s position in the mobile app market allowed it to impose fees of up to 30 per cent, which developers then reflected in the prices paid by consumers.
According to reports, the action covers purchases made through the UK version of the Google Play Store between 1 October 2015 and 31 July 2026. It includes paid applications, subscriptions for services such as music, fitness, dating and gaming, as well as upgrades that remove advertising or unlock additional functions.
In-game purchases are also included. The sources give the example of a £10 purchase of gold bars in Candy Crush: for much of the period covered by the claim, Google would have retained £3 while £7 went to the game developer. The legal action argues that this commission was effectively incorporated into the retail price.
Coll said millions of people had paid for apps, games and subscriptions without knowing that what she described as a “hidden charge” had been built into the cost. She said the trial was intended to recover that money for people who regularly use phones and apps.
Lesley Hannah, a partner at law firm Hausfeld, which is supporting the action, said Google had used its market position to charge what she described as an excessive commission for more than a decade, leaving consumers to bear the cost.
Google Disputes the Case As Earlier App-Store Actions Shape the Background
Google has defended the Play Store model and says it intends to contest the allegations. A company spokesman said Android offered people more choice than any other mobile platform when deciding which apps and app stores to use, adding that Play offered some of the lowest fees in the market.
Google also said the lawsuit ignored both that consumer choice and what it described as a competitive market, and stated that it would defend its services “vigorously”.
The legal proceedings were originally launched in 2021 but were delayed while other related claims were resolved. According to The Independent, Google parent Alphabet agreed in September to pay £260 million to settle a separate class action brought on behalf of UK app developers.
The case also follows a similar action against Apple. Last year, the Competition Appeal Tribunal found that Apple had abused its dominant market position by charging commissions of around 30 per cent on app sales and in-app purchases.
People and businesses falling within the defined class are automatically included in the Google claim unless they choose to opt out. If the action succeeds, more than £1 billion in damages is being sought for distribution among eligible consumers, although the precise amount received by each person would depend on the damages awarded and the number of eligible claimants.
