Canada Antitrust Watchdog Granted Court Order in Amazon Marketing Probe

By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--Canada's antitrust watchdog said on Wednesday that a federal court granted its investigators a court order to compel Amazon.com to hand over documents related to a probe focused on "potentially false or misleading claims" by the online retailer.

The Competition Bureau said its investigation is trying to determine whether Amazon's marketing practices potentially violate the country's antitrust laws as they pertain to deceptive advertising. The probe, it said, relates to claims made by Amazon "that may be influenced by reviews and ratings." This, in turn, affects how products are ranked and displayed on their website and mobile app, the bureau added.

A representative for the Seattle-based retailer didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The bureau didn't immediately respond to follow-up questions, such as when the investigation started. In its statement, the bureau said that, to date, "there is no conclusion of wrongdoing."

In August of 2020, Canada's antitrust watchdog said it launched an investigation into Amazon, with an initial focus on whether it was abusing its dominant position in the retail sector.

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 12, 2024 09:28 ET (13:28 GMT)

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