Canadian court orders Amazon to hand over documents as part of antitrust investigation

The Canadian Competition Bureau announced that a federal court has granted it the power to compel Amazon.com to produce documents related to an ongoing investigation into the online retail giant’s marketing practices. The investigation will determine whether Amazon’s methods of advertising and promoting products potentially violate Canadian antitrust laws by disseminating false or misleading information.

The investigation focuses on the impact of customer reviews and ratings on Amazon’s product rankings and display practices on the website and mobile app. The Bureau is investigating whether these claims, which are likely influenced by manipulated reviews and ratings, do not constitute deceptive advertising practices.

A spokesperson for Seattle-based Amazon has not yet commented on the recent court ruling. The Competition Bureau also did not respond to additional inquiries about the timeline of the investigation or further details about its scope. However, in its statement, the Office emphasized that currently “there are no findings of irregularities.”

Read more: US antitrust policy in the age of Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Netflix and Facebook

This latest development is part of a broader review of Amazon’s business practices by Canadian authorities. The office initially launched an investigation in August 2020, focusing on whether Amazon was abusing its dominant market position in the retail sector.

The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for Amazon’s business in Canada, potentially causing changes to the way the company presents product information to consumers.

Source: Market Monitor