Amazon is facing a billion-pound ($1.3 billion) class action lawsuit from British retailers who accuse the company of using their data to boost its own market share and profits.

The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) was expected to file the lawsuit today on behalf of about 35,000 retailers at the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in London, lawyers for the association said.

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon used non-public data provided by retailers selling products on retail giant Amazon’s online Marketplace to offer cheaper competing products for sale directly to consumers.

BIRA chief executive Andrew Goodacre said small retailers had no choice but to use Amazon given its size and reach, but that the lawsuit is intended to stop it driving retailers out of the marketplace.

“Filing the lawsuit today is the first step for retailers to be compensated for what Amazon has done,” Goodacre said in a statement.

See Also 

Tasos Birsim: The Mastermind Behind Andreas Papandreou’s Electoral Campaigns Has Passed Away

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BIRA’s lawsuit also highlights that Amazon manipulated to its advantage the “Buy Box” feature on its website, which appears near the top of product websites.

The “Buy Box” is the subject of a separate lawsuit filed by consumers, claiming up to £900 million.

The CMA had reported in 2022 that it was investigating Amazon, including how it selects the products placed in the “Buy Box”.

Last year, the CMA said it accepted commitments from Amazon to help protect fair competition on its platform.