More than 20 European price comparison websites have voiced strong criticism against Google’s proposed adjustments to its search results. The websites contend that the changes do not comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and urge regulators to impose penalties on the tech giant. The core issue lies in Google’s alleged continued favoritism towards its own products and services, a practice explicitly prohibited by the DMA.
For over a year, Google has been in discussions with comparison sites, along with representatives from the hotel, airline, restaurant, and retail industries, to navigate compliance with the DMA. Last month, Google unveiled its latest proposal, featuring expanded and uniformly formatted units designed to empower users to select between comparison sites and direct supplier websites.
As a potential alternative, Google is also considering reinstating its classic “ten blue links” format, a design reminiscent of earlier search result presentations. This format is currently undergoing testing in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia. However, prominent price comparison websites, including Idealo and billiger.de (Germany), Le Guide (France), PriceRunner, Kelkoo, kieskeurig.nl, and trovaprezzi.it, have expressed dissatisfaction, asserting that Google has disregarded their feedback.
In an open letter, the group stated: “Google has simply, repeatedly, ignored this feedback, and instead continued to iterate on the same non-compliant solution for months.” They further emphasized their belief that Google’s continued non-compliance demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the DMA: “If Google has not taken feedback into account after more than 100 events, it can only mean one thing: Google is wilfully not complying with the DMA.”
Google responded by referencing its November 26th blog post, highlighting the numerous changes implemented over the past year in pursuit of DMA compliance and a mutually agreeable solution.
The dissatisfied websites have escalated the matter by calling for direct action from the European Commission. They urge the Commission to “proceed with such proceedings, issue preliminary findings, and impose fines on Google, including periodic penalty payments, to force Google to finally listen and comply.” This forceful appeal underscores the significant tension surrounding Google’s proposed changes and the broader implications for the future of online search results in Europe. The Commission’s response will be crucial in determining the balance between innovation and fair competition in the digital marketplace.
