A claim against Google seeking more than £1 billion in damages for millions of consumers over “hidden charges” on Play Store app sales is going to trial in the UK.
The class action is being brought on behalf of around 20 million UK consumers and businesses who purchased something on the Google Play Store or on an Android phone between October 1 2015 and July 31 2026.
Competition law allegations
The claim is being heard in the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), with proceedings commencing on Tuesday.
It alleges that Google broke competition law by charging app developers a commission of up to 30% on purchases made through the Play Store, and that this cost was passed onto consumers in the prices they paid.
Paid-for apps, subscription payments like within dating, fitness, music and gaming apps, and upgrades to unlock ad-free versions or features are all included in the claim.
In-game purchases and impact on prices
It also includes in-game extras like coins, gems, extra lives and power-ups that people paid money for.
For example, if a Candy Crush player spent £10 on gold bars for extra lives and power-ups then, for most of the claim period, Google kept £3 of that and passed £7 to the game’s maker.
The claim alleges that that £3 was passed onto players through higher prices.
Google's response and legal context
Google says its Play Store offers some of the lowest fees in the market and that it would defend its services “vigorously”.
A spokesman said: “Android gives people more choice than any other mobile platform in deciding which apps and app stores they use, with Play offering some of the lowest fees in the market.
“This lawsuit ignores that choice as well as the competitive market in which we operate, and we will defend our services vigorously.”
The claim is being brought to court by Liz Coll, a consumer tech policy expert and former manager for charity Citizens Advice, and represented by law firm Hausfield.
Legal action was launched in 2021, but it has faced delays amid separate claims being settled, including Google’s owner Alphabet agreeing to pay £260 million in September to settle a class action on behalf of UK app developers.
A similar claim against Apple was won last year when the CAT found the company abused its dominant position in the market by charging about 30% commission on app sales and in-app purchases.
Statements from the claimants
Liz Coll said: “Millions of us have paid for apps, games and subscriptions on our phones without knowing a hidden charge was built into the price.
“This trial is about getting that money back for people who use their phone and apps every day.”
Lesley Hannah, a partner at Hausfield, said: “Google has been able to use its position in the market to charge an excessive commission for well over a decade.
“And it’s the consumer that has paid the price.”
