CMA confirms Google has strategic market status in search services
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-09)

Following extensive consultation, the CMA confirms proposed decision.

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 (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-takes-first-steps-to-improve-competition-in-search-services-in-the-uk) 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 (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/sms-investigation-into-googles-general-search-and-search-advertising-services).

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 (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/sms-investigation-into-googles-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 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6859810eeaa6f6419fade671/Roadmap_.pdf) 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.

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the CMA press office by email on xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or by phone on xx-xxxx-xxxx.