Italy opens antitrust probe into Amazon, Apple over sale of Beats headphones

FILE PHOTO: Apple logo is seen on the Apple store at The Marche Saint Germain in Paris, France July 15, 2020. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Italy's antitrust authority said on Wednesday it had opened an investigation into whether Apple Inc <AAPL.O> and Amazon Inc had engaged in anti-competitive cooperation in the sale of Apple products and Beats headphones.

It said the investigation was aimed at establishing whether Apple and Amazon had reached an anti-competitive agreement to prevent electronics reailers not included in Apple's official programme to sell the products.

It added that Antitrust officials searched Amazon and Apple offices in Italy on Tuesday.

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Amazon is seen at the company logistics center in Lauwin-Planque, northern France, April 22, 2020 after Amazon extended the closure of its French warehouses until April 25 included, following dispute with unions over health protection measures amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

(This story corrects date of searches to reflect corrected statement from the antitrust authority)

(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; editing by James Mackenzie)

FILE PHOTO: A woman holding her mobile phone walks past an advertisement for Beats headphones outside an electronic store in Tokyo August 28, 2014. REUTERS/Yuya Shino