Dutch Consumer Groups Launch Mass Claim Against Booking Over Hotel Price Inflation Since 2013

Dutch consumer groups Consumentenbond and the Consumer Competition Claims Foundation (CCC) have launched a mass legal claim against Booking.com, accusing the company of violating competition and consumer laws since 2013 by artificially inflating hotel prices. The groups allege that Booking.com used illegal agreements to prevent hotels from offering lower prices or better conditions directly, and employed deceptive tactics such as fake discounts and fabricated scarcity to mislead consumers. This practice has reportedly caused Dutch consumers to lose hundreds of millions of euros collectively. The legal action invites any consumer who booked hotel rooms through Booking.com or similar platforms since 2013 to join the claim, with costs only deducted if the claim succeeds. While Booking.com has yet to respond, the lawsuit follows significant regulatory scrutiny, including a €413 million fine by Spain’s competition watchdog in 2024 and an EU court ruling limiting Booking.com's restrictive pricing clauses. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the dominance and pricing practices of major online travel agencies in Europe.