String of firms could sue Google

DOZENS of firms could sue Google after the search giant was fined £2.1billion for breaching EU competition law.

The ruling last week found the US firm had wrongly promoted its own online price comparison service in internet search results, crushing rivals.

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said yesterday: ‘It is for everyone who feels they have been hurt by the illegal Google behaviour to take this report and use it in court as part of their evidence.’

She added that she hoped a wave of lawsuits would help to force Google to change its behaviour.

One source told the Mail his business was considering its options and he believed others would be too.

The fine came after at least 25 firms complained about Google’s tactics, ranging from the owner of the flight comparison site eDreams to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.