EU competition chiefs have today fined internet giant Google a record 2.42 billion euros for abusing its dominant position to manipulate search engine results for its own benefit.

The European Commission said the company used its search engine’s dominance to favour results from its own Google Shopping service, above other price comparators.

Google said in a statement it disagrees with the EU and is considering an appeal.

Margrethe Vestager, EU commissioner for competition policy, said: “Google has come up with many innovative products and services that have made a difference to our lives. That’s a good thing.

“But Google’s strategy for its comparison shopping service wasn’t just about attracting customers by making its product better than those of its rivals.

“Instead, Google abused its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors.

“What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation.”

Watch Google fine announcement