United Kingdom, Oct. 5 -- Google is facing a legal claim for more than £1 billion over allegations that its Play Store fees amounted to unlawful "hidden charges" that were ultimately paid by millions of UK consumers.

The class action, being heard by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), is being brought on behalf of around 20 million UK consumers and businesses who made purchases through the Google Play Store or an Android phone between October 2015 and July 2026.

The claim alleges that Google breached competition law by charging app developers commissions of up to 30 per cent on purchases made through its platform.

It argues that developers passed the cost on to customers through higher prices.

The case covers paid-for apps, su...