AMAZON FACES $1B CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN THE UK OVER BUY BOX

Amazon is facing a $1 billion class action lawsuit in the U.K. over allegations it uses an algorithm to favor its own products and those of third-party sellers who use its storage and delivery services.

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The litigation is being spearheaded by the law firm Hausfeld & Co LLP, which said in a news release that anyone who lives in the U.K. and made purchases on Amazon since October 2016 is eligible to be a claimant. The suit is expected to be filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London by the end of October.

The lawsuit will focus primarily on Amazon’s “Buy Box” feature, a coveted spot that makes items more visible to shoppers and thereby lead to more sales for merchants listed there. The box features a product from a single seller, though many more might offer the same item.