Commission fines Google for shopping comparison self-preferencing
On 27 June 2017 the Commission fined Google 2.42 billion euros for favouring its own shopping service. The General Court largely upheld the decision in 2021. In the causal graph this event strengthens Antitrust Pressure in Digital Markets, a driver that strengthens Out-of-School Rate, Primary School Age (global) — a worsening welfare path.
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On 27 June 2017 the Commission fined Google 2.42 billion euros for favouring its own shopping service. The General Court largely upheld the decision in 2021. It is the foundational self-preferencing case.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
Margrethe Vestager
PersonDirect responsibility
responsibility level 0.75 · verified
She announced and owned the decision. Courts later reviewed it. Google still had to change behaviour.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactCommission fines Google for shopping comparison self-preferencing
- strengthensDriverAntitrust Pressure in Digital Markets
- strengthensIndicatorOut-of-School Rate, Primary School Age (global)
impact weight 0.65 · Effect from 27 June 2017 · verified
A self-preferencing prohibition plus a large fine increases expected costs of ranking rivals down.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.26 (weight 0.65 × strength 0.4)
Observed
11% of primary-school-age children · 11 above the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalAbove normal = worse
Evidence
The sources behind this fact and its verification state.
- 1.Reuters — EU fines Google 2.4 billion eurosReuters · High credibility · verified
- 2.Commission — Google Shopping decisionEuropean Commission · High credibility · verified
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorMargrethe Vestager
- contributed toFactCommission fines Google for shopping comparison self-preferencing
- strengthensDriverAntitrust Pressure in Digital Markets
- strengthensIndicatorOut-of-School Rate, Primary School Age (global)
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). Commission fines Google for shopping comparison self-preferencing. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/eu-google-shopping-2017
https://factrail.ai/facts/eu-google-shopping-2017
Accessed 17 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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