Recent controversy concerning Oasis tickets has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing..
Given the inflated prices for the British legend’s highly anticipated 2025 reunion tour, the European Commission is said to have launched an “urgent review” into the ticket platform’s ability to raise prices of concert tickets based on consumer demand.
Based on inflated prices with some tickets prices jumping from from £135 to £350, the American-owned company was informed that it could have breached UK and European laws.
According to The Guardian in England, a spokesperson for The European Commission confirmed it is investigating dynamic pricing. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also told the outlet it is “urgently reviewing” the use of the system with a spokesperson stating “Consumer protection law requires businesses to be fair and transparent in their dealings with consumers, and businesses must give clear and accurate information about the price people have to pay. Failure to do so may breach the law.”
As part of a “fitness check” of EU consumer laws, the EC is examining the practice and the review will prompt MEPs to consider solutions such as a ban, and other less extreme possibilities. And While dynamic pricing itself is not unlawful, there are concerns the way it was used could be a breach of EU directives. This could be the case if the price of a product went up after a consumer placed tickets in their basket online, or if websites didn’t give fans “necessary material information” about the tickets.
Alleging that Ticketmaster didn’t inform people beforehand that tickets could cost £350, hundreds of official complaints have been registered to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA.) It was only when fans reached the checkout after hours in an online queue that they found out the cost has increased.
As reported by Sky News, the UK’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “This government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of music.” “So we will include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivise it, in our forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales.”
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Raph_PH