German Cartel Office Bans Amazon DE from Imposing Price Caps, Claims €59M

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office has prohibited Amazon.DE from imposing price caps on marketplace third-party sellers, citing anti-competitive practices. The authority now seeks €59 million in damages under 2023 reforms, claiming Amazon improperly influenced competitor pricing—only permissible in exceptional cases like price gouging. The one-month appeal deadline applies; Amazon DE plans to challenge the decision and maintain current operations. The move follows a similar probe into China’s Temu’s pricing influence.