The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today confirmed
that the legal tests have been met to designate Google with
strategic market status (SMS) in general search and search
advertising services.
The UK's new digital markets competition regime came into force
on 1 January 2025, allowing the CMA to take targeted and
proportionate action to improve competition in digital markets,
helping to drive innovation, investment and growth across the UK
economy.
The CMA launched an investigation into Google's general search
and search advertising services on 14 January and consulted on
its proposed decision
in June that Google should be designated with strategic market
status.
Since this proposed decision, the CMA has gathered evidence and
received feedback from more than 80 stakeholders as well as
having constructive engagement with Google. Having analysed the
feedback, the CMA has:
-
Confirmed that Google has substantial and entrenched market
power in general search and search advertising and has been
designated with strategic market status.
-
Confirmed that Google's Gemini AI assistant is not in scope
of the designation. However, this position will be kept under
review given uncertainty over how the market is developing
and could be amended in future if certain factors change and
following consultation.
-
Confirmed that other AI-based search features, such as AI
Overviews and AI Mode, are in scope of the designation.
-
Clarified the scope of designation with respect to Google's
news products, and Google's syndication products.
Designating Google with SMS is not a finding of wrongdoing and
does not introduce any immediate requirements. However, it
enables the CMA to consider proportionate, targeted interventions
to ensure that general search services are open to effective
competition, and that consumers and businesses that rely on
Google can have confidence that they are treated
fairly.
The CMA expects to begin consulting on possible interventions
later in the year.
Will Hayter, Executive Director for Digital Markets at the CMA,
said:
By promoting competition in digital markets like search and
search advertising we can unlock opportunities for businesses big
and small to support innovation and growth, driving investment
across the UK economy.
We have found that Google maintains a strategic position in the
search and search advertising sector – with more than 90% of
searches in the UK taking place on its platform.
Having taken into account the feedback received following our
proposed decision, we have today designated Google's search
services with strategic market status.
The UK is one of a number of jurisdictions around the world
taking action to support businesses and consumers dependent on
search and search advertising. This includes the US, EU and
Japan.
More information can be found on the CMA's search services
investigation case page.
Notes to editors
-
To designate a firm with SMS, the CMA must decide that it has
substantial and entrenched market power and a position of
strategic significance in a digital activity. The decision to
designate Google with SMS is separate from the CMA's ongoing
SMS investigation into Google's mobile
platform.
-
Search advertising is where an advertiser pays for its advert
to appear next to the results from a user's search. The
investigation relates to Google's general search and search
advertising activities.
-
Google's ‘Discover' feed and results page ‘Top Stories' and
news ‘tab' are in scope, but the separate Google News app and
website are out of scope.
-
Google's syndication services are out of scope where they are
used by a website for single site searching (e.g. where a
website owner hosts a Google search box on their site only to
search for articles published on that site).
-
In June 2025, the CMA published a Roadmap in search in the
event that designation was confirmed. The CMA continues to
consider possible interventions and expects to begin
consultations later in the year.
