Italy probes Microsoft over subscription price hike
26 Jun 2026

Italy's antitrust watchdog has launched an investigation against Microsoft for alleged unfair commercial practices.

The probe is specifically focused on the tech giant's recent price hike of its Microsoft 365 subscription service.

The regulator claims that consumers were not properly informed about the integration of AI tools like Copilot and Designer into their existing plans.

Consumers were automatically shifted to a more expensive plan
Consumer impact

The Italian regulator has alleged that consumers were automatically shifted to a more expensive subscription plan unless they actively opted out.

This was done without providing enough information for the customers to make an informed decision about renewing their contracts.

The watchdog said this practice by Microsoft could be considered aggressive as it unduly limited consumers' freedom of choice.

Microsoft's response to allegations yet to come
Awaiting comment

As of now, Microsoft has not responded to the allegations leveled by Italy's antitrust authority.

The investigation comes amid growing scrutiny over tech giants' business practices and their impact on consumers.

It remains to be seen how this case will unfold and what implications it could have for Microsoft's future operations in Italy and beyond.