Google is facing a class action lawsuit in the UK, with potential damages exceeding £5bn ($6.62bn), over claims that the US tech giant leveraged its dominant position to inflate prices.

The legal action has been filed at the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal by competition law expert, Dr Or Brook.

Or Brook Class Representative Limited, a company wholly owned and controlled by Dr. Brook, has filed the claim on behalf of hundreds of thousands of British businesses that advertised with Google between 1 January 2011 and 16 April 2025.

The lawsuit alleges that the tech giant has abused its dominant market position to prevent both existing and potential competitors from entering the general search and search advertising markets, thereby allowing Google to impose supra-competitive advertising prices.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for thousands of UK advertisers impacted by the company’s actions.

Dr Or Brook, representing all affected advertisers, said: “Regulators around the world have described Google as a monopoly and securing a spot on Google’s top pages is essential for visibility. Google has been leveraging its dominance in the general search and search advertising market to overcharge advertisers.

“This class action is about holding Google accountable for its unlawful practices and seeking compensation on behalf of UK advertisers who have been overcharged.”

Key allegations include Google’s contracts with smartphone manufacturers and network operators that mandate the pre-installation of Google Search and the Chrome browser on Android devices.

The suit also highlights Google’s agreement with Apple, under which it pays to remain the default search engine on iPhones.

Plaintiffs argue that these practices have made Google the only practical platform for online search advertising.

It also alleges that Google’s anti-competitive practices secure its dominance as the default option, effectively blocking competitors from gaining a foothold in the general search and search advertising markets.

As a result, the cost of search advertising has risen significantly, leading to substantial financial losses for advertisers,

The claim is supported by a legal team comprising specialists in competition litigation and digital markets from Geradin Partners. The counsel team also includes Robert O’Donoghue KC (Brick Court Chambers), among others.

Geradin Partners founding partner Damien Geradin said: “Google is one of the most powerful companies in the world. However, through a range of deliberate and exclusionary practices, it has sought to eliminate its rivals and dominate the search advertising market, ultimately overcharging UK advertisers by billions of pounds.

“This is the first claim of its kind in the UK that seeks redress for the harm caused specifically to businesses who have been forced to pay inflated prices for advertising space on Google pages.”

Earlier in April 2025, The Information reported that Google laid off several hundred employees within its platforms and devices division.

The affected division includes the Android operating system, Pixel smartphones, and the Chrome browser, among other services.