What is Apple doing wrong?
Have you purchased an app or made an in-app purchase on an iPhone or iPad? Then you are suffering damage. Apple restricts consumers' freedom of choice and charges excessive, monopolistic prices. In its terms and conditions for app developers, Apple prohibits any competition with its own App Store and payment application.
Apple's behaviour is unlawful. Consumers ultimately pay for Apple’s monopolistic behaviour when developers of apps are forced to pass on the excessive prices (usually 30%) to consumers. As a consumer, you pay far too much. Too much for every paid app you download. Too much for all subsequent purchases you make within an app (in-app purchases). And too much for subscriptions via the Apple App Store.
How do we solve this?
The foundation has tried to solve the matter with Apple amicably and has demanded that Apple voluntarily stops its unlawful conduct and pays compensation to the European consumers. This did not lead to a solution.
Therefore, the foundation has now started legal proceedings: a so-called collective action claim has been filed in the Netherlands. In this lawsuit, we will represent the interests of all consumers in the EU who have purchased at least one app, or made at least one in-app purchase through the Apple App Store since 1 September 2009.
In order for us to be able to carry out this action in the best possible way, it is important that consumers support the action. The more consumers supporting action, the greater the pressure on Apple to stop this malpractice.
Support the action!
You can support the action by signing up. You can sign up if:
- You have or have had an iPhone or iPad;
- Have purchased an app at least once or have made a purchase within an app (a non-Apple app) after 1 September 2009;
- you reside in the EU.
You can register free of charge. The foundation will work to ensure that Apple pays the costs of the class action and the damages settlement. If the action fails, you will not have to pay anything.
Who assists the foundation?
The foundation is assisted by
Scott+Scott, an international law firm specialising in class actions such as this European Apple Claim. The foundation has also engaged the economic experts of
Brattle Group, among others, to properly calculate the damage suffered by consumers.
The state of affairs
The Foundation holds Apple liable. The foundation has tried to reach a solution with Apple. This has not succeeded. Therefore, the foundation started a collective action procedure on behalf of all consumers in the EU.
On 31 March 2022, the Consumer Competition Claims Foundation sued Apple with a claim of EUR 5 billion (
read more). On 6 July 2022, Apple appeared in court and the case was formally started. The court will now first address some procedural issues. The session on these issues took place on 24 March 2023.
Join the Apple action
