A Competition Appeal Tribunal trial began in London on 6 October 2026 over claims that Google’s Play Store charged commissions that were passed to consumers; the case, brought on behalf of about 20 million people and businesses, seeks more than £1 billion but those are allegations, not findings.
The claim reaches trial
A Competition Appeal Tribunal trial that could test how app-store fees affect consumers opened in London on 6 October 2026. Lawyers for Liz Coll say the claim, brought on behalf of about 20 million UK consumers and businesses, seeks more than £1 billion and covers purchases made on the Google Play Store or on Android devices from 1 October 2015 to 31 July 2026 seeks more than £1 billion. Those figures and dates are the claimant’s allegations; the tribunal has yet to rule on them.
The claim was lodged in 2021 and has advanced to a full hearing after other litigation and settlements over app-store conduct. The proceedings address only the consumer claim now before the CAT; no determination of liability has been made as the trial opens.
What consumers allege, and what Google says
Lawyers for Coll say the claimant’s case is that Google charged commissions of up to 30% on purchases of paid-for apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions through the Play Store, and that developers passed those commissions on to consumers in the prices they paid commissions of up to 30%. The claim covers one-off paid apps, recurring subscriptions in categories such as dating, fitness and music, and in-game extras such as coins and power-ups; the claimant’s lawyers say those added costs were reflected in consumer prices.
Google disputes the contention that its conduct breached competition law. A Google spokesperson said Android gives people more choice than other mobile platforms and that the Play Store charges “some of the lowest fees in the market,” and the firm has said it will defend the case vigorously. Google also argues the Play Store faces competitive constraints from other app stores and platforms.
How the case could affect buyers and the market
The claim is brought on a collective basis for millions of users and businesses, so a tribunal ruling for the claimants could have consequences beyond individual cases. Conversely, a finding for Google would leave open wider questions about how app-store commissions are treated in future competition disputes; any outcome depends on the tribunal’s findings and should not be read as a prediction of compensation.
The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of app-store commissions and competition between digital platforms. The Competition Appeal Tribunal last year found that Apple had abused a dominant position by charging about 30% commission on App Store sales and in-app purchases, a judgment that helps set the legal and commercial context in which the Play Store claim is being heard. Regulators and courts across jurisdictions have repeatedly examined distribution and billing rules applied by major app platforms, and there have also been long-running legal battles and regulatory inquiries over those rules.
Separate developer settlement and what happens next
The Competition Appeal Tribunal approved a £260 million settlement in September 2026 of a separate class action brought on behalf of UK app developers against Alphabet; that settlement resolved developers’ claims but did not decide the consumer claim now before the tribunal £260 million settlement in September 2026. Alphabet settled the developers’ litigation without admitting liability, and the tribunal’s approval of that settlement does not establish facts for or against the consumer case.
The trial is reported to be timetabled to run for seven weeks and will proceed through witness evidence and legal argument before the tribunal reaches its judgment. The tribunal’s findings should be awaited rather than treating allegations or the developer settlement as proof of liability. Watch for the tribunal’s ruling at the close of the hearing period.
