A Dutch foundation, Consumer Competition Claims Foundation, has filed a multibillion-euro class-action lawsuit against Apple for charging a 30% commission on App Store for all in-app purchases. Bloomberg reports that the foundation’s legal handle, international law firm Scott + Scott has filed the case in the Amsterdam District Court seeking up to 5 billion euros in damages.
Apple is facing another complicated litigation in the Netherlands over a dating app’s in-app purchase commission. The legal battle which started at the beginning of 2022, is costing Apple heavy fines on weekly bases. Recently, the tech giant was fined $5.7 million for the 10th time.
Apple App Store’s in-app commission is held responsible for the increase in apps’ prices
In a press release, the plaintiff called Apple’s control over apps purchases and distribution on iOS App Store monopolistic and said that its App Store’s 30% commission “harms” consumers because the developers pass on the increase in price to them. The foundation argues that Apple must pay the cost of the potential harm to consumers which equates to $5.5 billion (5 billion euros).
Apple Inc. was targeted by a Dutch class-action lawsuit claiming multibillion-euro damages as the iPhone maker’s legal battles over apps and in-app purchases continue to mount.
Apple “has taken advantage of its monopoly position” with its 30% fee for every sale from app developers, forcing them to increase their prices. The foundation claims the potential harm could add up to nearly 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion).
Furthermore, the foundation is also calling on EU consumers to join its class-action lawsuit.
The Dutch foundation called on all EU consumers who have bought an app in the App Store or made an Apple in-app purchase since Sept. 2009 to join its class action to be filed in in the Amsterdam District Court. It has enlisted the legal services of international law firm Scott + Scott to handle the claim.
The claims of the new lawsuit are similar to the one filed by Epic Games against App Store’s 30% commission for all in-app purchases in the United States. The developer argued that Apple’s 30% commission compels the developers to increase the prices of in-app purchases and was seeking the court’s approval to allow alternative payment methods on iOS.
However, the court did not find Apple in violation of antitrust laws but did order the tech giant to permit links to alternative payment methods.
