For a €20,000 Citroën, a 5% award comes to €1,000, compared with €400 at the previous 2% rate. That is a 2.5-fold increase in the principal award. The Spanish Supreme Court also ordered statutory interest from the purchase date, so the final amount depends on when each buyer made the purchase and how the interest is calculated.
The ruling, judgment 1644/2026, was issued on 22 October 2026 and concerns 20 buyers who purchased Citroën vehicles between 2006 and 2013. They argued that information-sharing between manufacturers and distributors had harmed competition, pushing up prices or worsening the commercial terms available to customers. Arriaga Asociados represented the buyers.
The Civil Chamber rejected Stellantis España’s appeal against the Pontevedra Provincial Court ruling and accepted the buyers’ position. The Mercantile Court No. 3 of Pontevedra and the provincial court had set compensation at 2% of the purchase price. The Supreme Court found that rate too low to provide adequate redress or deterrence when the precise overcharge could not be calculated with certainty. A claimant-side economic report estimated the overcharge at 11.064% of the amount paid. The court instead chose 5% as its judicial estimate.
The claims stem from the CNMC’s decision of 23 July 2015, issued after its investigation into a vehicle-manufacturer and distributor cartel. The authority sanctioned the exchange of commercially sensitive information, including data on dealer remuneration and marketing activity, along with information about after-sales services. Automóviles Citroën España and Peugeot España, predecessors of Stellantis España, were fined €14.77 million and €15.72 million respectively.
The CNMC imposed a total of €171 million in fines on 21 companies and two consultancies. The participating brands represented about 91% of Spain’s automotive market at the time. They included Citroën, Peugeot, Opel, Renault, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi and Seat. The cartel decision covered information-sharing on distribution and commercial strategies, not a single model or transaction. Paying fines to the state does not replace individual compensation claims. Consumers can pursue damages if they establish that they suffered harm.
Car ownership costs go beyond the purchase price. A report on recovered parts described lower bills for some electronic repairs, although fitting and any required calibration cost extra.
