Antitrust Ofc. Probes Possible Policy Breach By Amazon

Berlin (AP) - German antitrust authorities have begun questioning thousands of third-party traders about online retailer Amazon's policy of banning them from selling their products cheaper elsewhere on the web.

The Federal Antitrust Office said in a statement Wednesday that there is "considerable" evidence that Amazon's practice breached cartel rules by unduly hindering its competitors.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The probe comes days after Amazon faced criticism in Germany over the alleged mistreatment of temporary workers, many of them foreign.

A documentary aired by German public television channel ARD last week alleged that workers faced intimidation by security guards, random searches and constant pressure to increase their performance.

Earlier this week, Amazon fired a security subcontractor and a temporary staffing agency implicated in the documentary.

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