Amazon accused of using dominance and data to squeeze rivals

The European Union charged Amazon with damaging retail competition, alleging on Tuesday that the US company uses its size, power and data to gain an unfair advantage over smaller merchants that sell on its online platform.

The move by competition chief Margrethe Vestager, the latest European salvo against US tech giants, comes at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has amplified Amazon’s role in the global economy, with online sales soaring in lockdowns.