Overview
- Google deployed the new search layout across Europe on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, to comply with the Digital Markets Act after a July fine for favouring its own vertical services.
- Under the redesign Google places a single third‑party vertical search engine at the top of results, follows it with two other third‑party engines, and moves carousels with live pricing and availability lower on the page.
- Google says tests with millions of European users showed high dissatisfaction and warns the changes will degrade search quality and force users to retype queries to find what they want.
- The company reports earlier DMA-driven adjustments already cut free direct booking traffic to hotels and other businesses by about 30 percent and says the latest changes will further shift visits to intermediaries like Booking.com and Expedia.
- Brussels fined Google €460 million in July and has given it a compliance window and ongoing monitoring powers that include the ability to impose recurring fines up to 5 percent of global turnover for noncompliance.