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• CMA launches second investigation into Google鈥檚 practices in ad tech, following launch of probe into Google and Meta鈥檚 鈥楯edi Blue鈥� agreement.

Advertising technology intermediation, also known as the 鈥榓d tech stack鈥�, is a complex set of services which facilitate the sale of online advertising space between sellers (publishers, like online newspapers and other content providers) and buyers (advertisers). In 2019, UK advertisers spent around 拢1.8 billion on this kind of online advertising. The market is important because millions of people across the UK use websites that rely on advertising revenue to offer high-quality, free content.

Google has strong positions at various levels of the ad tech stack, charging fees to both publishers and advertisers.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is examining 3 key parts of this chain, in each of which Google owns the largest service provider:

• Demand-side platforms (DSPs) allow advertisers and media agencies to buy publishers鈥� advertising inventory (i.e. the space they have for advertising) from many sources.
• Ad exchanges provide the technology to automate the sale of publishers鈥� inventory. They allow real-time auctions by connecting to multiple DSPs, collecting bids from them.
• Publisher ad servers manage the publisher鈥檚 inventory and decide which ad to show, based on the bids received from different exchanges and/or direct deals between publishers and advertisers.

The CMA is assessing whether Google鈥檚 practices in these parts of the ad tech stack may distort competition. These include whether Google limited the interoperability of its ad exchange with third-party publisher ad servers and/or contractually tied these services together, making it more difficult for rival ad servers to compete.

The CMA is also concerned that Google may have used its publisher ad server and its DSPs to illegally favour its own ad exchange services, while taking steps to exclude the services offered by rivals.

Andrea Coscelli, the CMA鈥檚 Chief Executive, said:

We鈥檙e worried that Google may be using its position in ad tech to favour its own services to the detriment of its rivals, of its customers and ultimately of consumers.

This would be bad for the millions of people who enjoy access to a wealth of free information online every day.

Weakening competition in this area could reduce the ad revenues of publishers, who may be forced to compromise the quality of their content to cut costs or put their content behind paywalls. It may also be raising costs for advertisers which are passed on through higher prices for advertised goods and services.

It鈥檚 vital that we continue to scrutinise the behaviour of the tech firms which loom large over our lives and ensure the best outcomes for people and businesses throughout the UK.

This case follows on from the CMA鈥檚 market study into online platforms and digital advertising which identified significant issues and made an assessment of possible solutions to address market power in ad tech. The CMA will consider these further in the course of its investigation. The CMA has subsequently opened a competition investigation into Google and Meta鈥檚 鈥楯edi Blue鈥� agreement in relation to header bidding services, which are a part of the wider ad tech stack. The CMA is also monitoring compliance with commitments Google made in relation to its Privacy Sandbox proposals to remove third-party cookies and other functionality from Google鈥檚 Chrome browser.

A draft Bill to give the CMA more powers to govern the behaviour of big tech firms, through the Digital Markets Unit, was recently announced in the Queen鈥檚 Speech.

Until this legislation is in place, the CMA will forge ahead using its existing powers in the tech sector, including probes into聽Apple鈥檚 App Store,听Meta鈥檚 use of data听补苍诲听Apple and Google鈥檚 mobile ecosystems聽over competition concerns.

The CMA maintains a joined-up approach across all related cases to ensure the best outcomes for people and businesses throughout the UK.

The European Commission (EC) has launched its . Google practices are also the subject of (and other US States) currently in the US courts. In July 2021, the French Autorit茅 de la Concurrence closed having imposed a fine and secured commitments.

Find out more about the CMA鈥檚 investigation聽on the investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct by Google in ad tech case page.

Notes to editors

1. The competition legislation relevant to the CMA鈥檚 investigation is the Competition Act 1998. This case concerns Chapter II prohibition (which makes it illegal for a company that holds a dominant position from behaving to the detriment of competition).
2. 鈥淕oogle鈥� refers to Google UK Limited, Google LLC and Alphabet Inc.
3. The CMA may launch an investigation under the Competition Act 1998 if it has reasonable grounds to believe that there has been an infringement of competition law. If the CMA decides that there has been a breach of competition law then it can impose a fine up to 10% of Google鈥檚 worldwide turnover, as well as issue legally binding directions to bring the breach to an end.
4. No conclusion should be made that the law has been broken. The CMA has made no decision that Google鈥檚 conduct needs to change.
5. All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the CMA press office by email on [email protected] or by phone on 020 3738 6460.
6. All enquiries from the general public should be directed to the CMA鈥檚 General Enquiries team on [email protected] or 020 3738 6000.