Google ordered to pay Klarna-owned PriceRunner $2bn in Swedish antitrust case

A Swedish court has ordered Google to pay 14.3 billion kronor in antitrust damages to PriceRunner, the comparison-shopping service owned by Klarna, in one of the largest competition awards ever issued in Sweden.

The Stockholm Patent and Market Court ruling, handed down on July 1, 2026, centers on allegations that Google favored its own comparison-shopping service in search results and made it harder for rivals to compete. Swedish coverage said interest lifts the total value of the judgment to nearly 19 billion kronor, or about $2 billion.

The case is part of a long-running European dispute over how Google presents its own services in search results. PriceRunner's damages claim followed the European Commission's 2017 antitrust decision against Google over comparison-shopping favoritism, which provided the backdrop for the Swedish lawsuit.

PriceRunner filed the damages case in 2022, after Klarna acquired the business. The court's award was far smaller than the roughly 77 billion kronor PriceRunner had sought, but it still represents a major private antitrust victory for the company.

The ruling

According to the reports reviewed, the court partly sided with PriceRunner and found that Google's conduct in PriceRunner's markets caused lost revenues. Those markets included the UK, Sweden and Denmark.

The judgment is significant not only because of its size, but also because it appears to be the largest damages award ever issued in a Swedish competition case.

The total amount has also been described in different ways in coverage because of currency conversion and interest. English-language reports put the award at nearly $2 billion, while Swedish reports cited 14.3 billion kronor before interest and close to 19 billion kronor with interest included.

Why the case matters

The ruling strengthens a type of private antitrust claim that follows earlier regulator findings instead of launching a fresh competition probe. That makes it closely watched by other European companies that say search platforms have tilted the field in favor of their own products.

Because the case turns on self-preferencing in search, it also speaks to a broader policy fight that has already shaped how Google operates in Europe. The Swedish judgment does not end that debate, but it adds another expensive legal consequence.

Klarna-owned PriceRunner is at the center of that dispute. Klarna acquired PriceRunner in 2022, and the company now stands to benefit financially if the award survives appeal.

The award also underscores how competition cases can linger for years after the conduct at issue. The underlying EU decision dates to 2017, the Swedish damages suit began in 2022, and the court ruling arrived in 2026.

Reactions from Google and Klarna

Klarna welcomed the decision. Dan Greaves, Klarna's communications chief, said the ruling supports a healthier and more competitive market for comparing products and services.

Google said it disagreed with the court's ruling and was reviewing its legal options. A possible appeal is now the most immediate unknown.

The court outcome also mattered because it was much smaller than the amount PriceRunner originally claimed. The company had sought about 77 billion kronor, but the final award was reduced to a fraction of that figure.

What happens next

The main questions are whether Google appeals, what grounds it uses, and how much of the award survives any further proceedings.

Another open issue is the size of the final payout after taxes and any deductions or contractual arrangements that may apply. For now, the court's order is a major win for Klarna-owned PriceRunner and a new legal setback for Google in Europe.