London Trial Starts Over Google’s Post-2017 Shopping Search Changes
A London damages trial opened June 22, 2026, over Google’s post-2017 shopping search changes.
Why it matters: This case tests evolving tech competition rules and how search engines rank shopping results. Legal pros should watch for its impact on digital market fairness and regulatory trends.
- Trial began June 22, 2026, at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London with an expected five-week duration plus a reserve week.
- UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposed new requirements on Google: 'fair ranking' on June 17, 2026, and 'publisher conduct' on June 3, 2026.
- The 'fair ranking' rule aims to make Google’s search results ranking more transparent and equitable, while 'publisher conduct' lets publishers control how Google uses their content.
- In September 2025, a U.S. federal judge ordered Google to stop exclusive search deals and share data with rivals, showing global antitrust pressure.
On June 22, 2026, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in London began a damages trial centering on Google’s changes to its shopping search services made after 2017, following complaints from competitors claiming Google continued to exert unfair dominance. The trial is scheduled for about five weeks with a reserve week, highlighting the complexity involved. The CAT publicly announced the trial's start.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently introduced two key conduct requirements on Google. On June 17, 2026, it imposed the 'fair ranking' requirement, which obliges Google to rank shopping search results in a way that is transparent and does not unfairly disadvantage competitors — a response to past concerns that Google favored its own services. Additionally, the CMA requires Google to enable 'data portability,' so users can transfer their search data to other services.
Earlier in the month, on June 3, 2026, the CMA implemented the 'publisher conduct requirement.' This gives content publishers greater control over how Google uses their material, including choices to opt out of inclusion in AI-generated features, which addresses concerns about unauthorized content use.
These CMA rules aim to increase fairness and transparency in digital marketplaces, especially given Google’s powerful role as a search gatekeeper. CMA executive director Will Hayter explained that clear and predictable ranking could help businesses better compete and invest.
Meanwhile, related global antitrust actions include a September 2025 order from a U.S. federal judge who directed Google to terminate exclusive search deals and share certain search data with competitors. This order reflects growing international scrutiny of Google’s market practices.
For legal professionals involved in antitrust and digital regulation, this trial and the CMA’s new enforcement measures mark significant developments. How these rules are applied could influence the future of search engine operations and fair competition standards across digital markets.
By the numbers:
- June 22, 2026 — trial start date in London
- Five weeks plus one reserve week — expected trial duration
- June 17, 2026 — CMA imposed 'fair ranking' and 'data portability' requirements
Yes, but: Some details of the rival companies’ claims against Google remain confidential, limiting public insight into specific allegations.
What's next: The trial is expected to conclude by late July 2026, after which rulings could define industry-wide standards for search ranking transparency and data use.