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CMA orders more than £590,000 to be repaid to customers - the
average payout will be around £10 per transaction
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StubHub UK also fined close to £900,000 after failing to
include mandatory fees in the price of tickets shown at the
beginning of the sales process
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Investigation is part of theCMA's work to clamp
down on illegal online pricing practices
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that StubHub UK
did not show fans the total price upfront when purchasing tickets
as required by law. Instead, a mandatory fee was included later
in the process. StubHub UK is one of the largest marketplaces
allowing people to buy and sell tickets for live shows and events
in the UK.
The CMA has fined the company close to £900,000 and ordered it to
issue refunds to more than 50,000 fans exceeding £590,000 for
using this illegal practice known as drip pricing. Drip pricing
can cause fans to be caught out by extra charges and to buy
tickets they might not otherwise have selected, had they been
able to compare prices accurately from the start.
When the CMA examined the experience of fans buying tickets for
gigs and sports events on StubHub UK, it found that between 6
April and 7 December 2025, some were required to pay mandatory
costs such as delivery and service fees. However, these
unavoidable fees were added at the final stage of the checkout
process and not included in the total price from the start, which
broke consumer law.
Affected customers do not need to take any action. StubHub UK
will contact fans about their refund, which will be automatically
repaid onto the card they used to purchase their tickets. The
amount repaid to individuals will vary depending on how much they
paid in fees the average payout will be around £10 per
transaction.
StubHub UK immediately took steps to end the conduct and engaged
constructively with the CMA throughout the investigation. Having
admitted breaking the law and agreeing to settle the case early
with the CMA, the company received a 40% reduction to its
financial penalty. When a company settles, it agrees not to
appeal or challenge the decision in court. This allows the CMA to
resolve cases faster and get refunds back to consumers more
quickly.
Under its new consumer enforcement powers, the CMA has so far
secured more than £1.95 million in refunds for customers and
levied fines exceeding £5.7 million.
Emma Cochrane, Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the
CMA, said:
Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It's not fair to
draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to
find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout due
to extra charges that can't be avoided.
Going to a live gig or sports game is an event many people save
for and our action today means thousands of fans will get back
money taken unfairly through hidden fees.
Our message to businesses is simple: be transparent on costs or
risk CMA action.
Drip pricing was banned last year under the Digital Markets,
Competition and Consumers Act 2024. When the CMA's strengthened
consumer powers came into force in April
2025, it committed to tackling hidden fees as well as other
unlawful online pricing practices to ensure shoppers were not
left out of pocket. Its clear pricing campaign
provides businesses with a 3-step checklist to make sure their
prices are clear and upfront.
Further details about the investigation can be found on the
StubHub UK consumer
protection enforcement case page.
Notes to editors:
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The company investigated, TICKETBIS S.L, trades as StubHub UK
via www.stubhub.co.uk.
It has been ordered to pay more than £590,000 in refunds to
51,350 customers - the average payout will be around £10.33
per transaction. It was also fined £889,200.
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The CMA developed guidance to help
companies stay on the right side of the law when selling
their products and setting
prices.
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If a company infringes consumer protection law, the CMA can
fine them up to 10% of their global turnover (or £300,000
where this is higher than the 10% figure).
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If a company breaches undertakings it has given or directions
imposed by the CMA, it could face fines of up to 5% of its
global turnover with additional daily penalties for continued
non-compliance.
