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Google could soon be required to make major adjustments to its search engine operations in the UK, following a landmark decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The regulator has officially designated Google as holding “strategic market status” (SMS) under a new law that came into effect earlier this year — a move designed to ensure fair competition in digital markets.
While the CMA has not accused Google of wrongdoing, the designation allows it to impose what it calls “proportionate, targeted interventions” to make the market more competitive. These could include forcing Google to display “choice screens” that offer users alternative search engines or establishing “fair ranking principles” for how websites appear in search results.
CMA Digital Markets Director Will Hayter confirmed Google’s overwhelming market dominance, noting that the company currently accounts for over 90% of all UK searches. “We have found that Google maintains a strategic position in the search and search advertising sector,” Hayter said.
Consumer groups have welcomed the decision. Which? policy chief Rocio Concha described it as “an important step,” emphasizing that despite the rise of generative AI, the regulator must still act to address Google’s “harmful dominance.”
Google, however, has cautioned against any measures that could stifle innovation. “UK businesses and consumers have been among the first to benefit from Google’s innovations,” said Oliver Bethell, Google’s Head of Competition. “Many of the proposed interventions could slow product launches and hinder growth at a time of rapid AI-driven change.”
The CMA is expected to open a consultation later in 2025 to decide on the specific changes Google will need to implement.
Globally, Google continues to face mounting regulatory pressure. The company recently lost a case in the US requiring it to make sweeping changes to its Play Store operations, while in the EU it was fined €2.95 billion (£2.5 billion) for alleged anti-competitive practices in ad technology.
This UK decision marks one of the strongest moves yet toward reshaping how tech giants operate — potentially changing how millions of Britons use search engines every day.
