On August 5, 2026, the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) certified a landmark opt-out class action lawsuit against six companies within the Google group. The claim, led by Or Brook Class Representative Limited (OBCRL), alleges that Google abused its dominant positions in mobile operating systems, app distribution, general search services, and search advertising. This alleged abuse caused advertisers to suffer financial losses, with the claimant's expert economist estimating total damages at approximately £5 billion.
The certification means that all UK-domiciled businesses that paid for Google search advertising services between January 1, 2011, and April 15, 2025, are automatically part of the class, unless they choose to opt out. This includes roughly 880,000 UK businesses and organizations. The Tribunal rejected Google's argument that the class was too large for individual notification and payout, finding that an opt-in process would be prolonged and difficult.
While the CAT granted the collective proceedings order, this certification is a procedural step and not a finding of liability against Google. No money is available yet, and there is no guarantee of future availability; the claim must either be won at trial or settled. The claim is funded by Burford Capital, which has committed up to £40 million. The case is estimated to take two to three years to conclude, which is standard for collective actions.
The class representative alleges that Google's conduct allowed it to charge supra-competitive prices for search advertising, reducing the value advertisers received. As a result, advertisers allegedly paid more for search advertising and achieved a lower return on advertising spend than they would have in a competitive market. The Tribunal also noted that pre-certification costs for the case exceeded £6.4 million, which it regarded as extremely high.
