Amazon set for 2026 trial in U.S. FTC antitrust lawsuit on business practices

A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday set an October 2026 trial date for a Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.

The consumer protection agency filed the long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon on Sept. 26, accusing it of operating an illegal monopoly, in part by fighting efforts by sellers on its online marketplace to offer products more cheaply on other platforms.

The lawsuit, which was joined by 17 state attorneys general, was filed in federal court in Seattle and follows a four-year investigation into the company’s practices.

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The agency asked the court to issue a permanent injunction ordering Amazon to stop what it called unlawful conduct. In antitrust cases the range of solutions may include forcing a company to sell an asset, such as a part of its business.

Canada’s Competition Bureau has been investigating Amazon over similar allegations since 2020, but has yet to issue any findings or recommendations.

Canadian small businesses that use Amazon’s e-commerce platform say they have experienced the same business practices alleged in the U.S. FTC lawsuit.

—With additional files from Global News

2:00 Amazon’s dominance in e-commerce hurts Canadian small businesses: report