The ruling stems from a dispute over Google's dominance in the price-comparison market.
Judge Linda Kullberg remarked, "without a doubt the largest claim that has been ordered in a Swedish competition case."
According to the price-comparison site, Google leveraged its search engine market power for more than a decade to unfairly promote its own shopping service at the expense of competitors. According to Klarna's post-ruling statement, the damages awarded cover lost income from Google's practice of favoring its own service, which also raises prices for shoppers.
Dan Greaves, who serves as Klarna's communications and policy chief, remarked, "When markets work well, everyone benefits. Consumers get higher quality at lower cost, companies stay focused on serving customers rather than defending position, and society is better off for it."
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A representative for Google said the firm disagrees with the ruling and plans to review its legal options. The representative further noted that the adjustments made in 2017 have been effective, creating expansion and employment for many price-comparison sites that run over 1,500 webpages across Europe, as per the statement.
The ruling can be appealed.
This case connects to a 2017 European Commission fine of €2.4 billion against Google for abusing its search power to favor its own shopping service. The EU's highest court confirmed the violation two years ago, so EU plaintiffs no longer need to establish that fact in court.
Last year, a Berlin court compelled Google to pay €573 million to two German comparison shopping sites, a decision that Google is appealing. Other similar lawsuits are ongoing throughout Europe.
The Swedish judgment is one of the largest antitrust damages awards in Europe and underscores the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech's market power. The ruling highlights the ability of private plaintiffs to seek compensation after EU antitrust findings, setting a potential precedent for similar claims across the continent.
The growing number of such cases reflects a shift in European antitrust enforcement, where private damages claims are becoming a powerful tool alongside regulatory fines. This trend is expected to continue as courts set precedents for compensation.
This Swedish ruling is part of a broader wave of antitrust actions against Google in Europe, following the EU's landmark 2017 decision and subsequent private lawsuits. The court's decision could encourage more companies to file similar claims, leveraging the EU's findings to seek damages.
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