Italy hits Amazon with a €10m fine over anti-competitive practices

Italy’s antitrust authority has imposed a fine of 10 million euros ($10.70 million) on two Amazon subsidiaries over alleged anti-competitive practices, the authority announced on Wednesday, as cited by Reuters.

The regulator accused Amazon of “substantially limiting consumer choice” by automatically opting for the ‘Subscribe&Save’ feature, which schedules regular deliveries instead of one-time purchases across a broad range of products.

The antitrust authority stated in its announcement, “The automatic selection of recurring purchases encourages consumers to buy a product periodically, even if there is no actual need, thereby restricting their freedom of choice.”

Amazon has yet to respond to the allegations.