What's the issue?
One of the sectors most under scrutiny of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in terms of compliance with rules on unfair commercial practices is the ticketing sector. Both primary and secondary sites have been subject to investigations.
Most recently, it was the turn of Ticketmaster following an outcry by fans desperate to get their hands on Oasis concert tickets. The CMA launched a call for evidence in September 2024, and in March 2025, it wrote to Ticketmaster about concerns that Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law through misleading actions constituting unfair commercial practices under the Consumer (Protection from Unfair Commercial Practices) Regulations (CPRs).
The CMA had two primary concerns:
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Ticketmaster did not tell fans waiting in queues that standing tickets were being sold at two different prices with the higher price kicking in once the first set had been sold, and
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'Platinum' tickets were sold at 2.5 times the price of standard tickets despite offering no additional benefits.
The CMA noted that although Oasis fans suspected algorithms had been used to increase ticket prices in response to demand, the CMA had not found any evidence of dynamic pricing.
What's the development?
On 25 September 2025, the CMA announced voluntary undertakings secured from Ticketmaster following its investigation into the Oasis ticket sale.
The undertakings require clearer pre-sale and in-queue pricing information, accurate ticket labelling, and ongoing reporting to ensure compliance:
- Ticketmaster will disclose information on its website and in any event-specific information (like Event FAQs) to customers at least 24 hours in advance where fixed-tier pricing will be used, including about ticket categories and how the pricing model operates. Where this is not possible due to circumstances beyond its control, it will disclose the information as soon as reasonably practicable.
- Ticketmaster will use its best endeavours to determine in advance whether it will use a ticket queue for an event. Where it does use a ticket queue, it will, during any on-sale period, display clear and prominent information in the ticket queue about price ranges, and any fixed-tier pricing. This information will be updated as often as is reasonably practicable and at least within 30 minutes of the on-sale period starting and at 15-minute intervals after that. If a ticket queue is unexpectedly implemented, Ticketmaster will, once UK operating hours begin, provide the relevant information.
- Ticketmaster will ensure ticket labels or names (or similar) and other descriptions will be clear and not misleading (it has already stopped using 'platinum' labels in the UK) and ensure ticket descriptions do not imply benefits that do not exist. Additional information will be provided to consumers to help them make the best decisions for them.
Ticketmaster will report regularly to the CMA for two years from implementation. The undertakings are voluntary, without admission of wrongdoing, and will be implemented within six weeks at the latest. Non-compliance with the undertakings could lead to enforcement action against Ticketmaster.
Secondary ticketing
The CMA has already taken action against other live event ticket providers in the secondary ticketing market. In 2018, it secured undertakings from StubHub, GETMEIN! and Seatwave with further undertakings from StubHub. In 2020 Viagogo was also forced to make changes after the CMA threatened it with court action. Unfair commercial practices which were widespread in the secondary ticketing market included invalid ticket sales, inaccurate messages about ticket availability, advertising tickets to overseas events that may not comply with UK consumer law, and not informing people where they will sit at an event. In 2021, the CMA submitted a report to the government calling for stronger laws to tackle illegal ticket resales and making recommendations including:
- a ban on platforms allowing resellers to sell more tickets from an event than they can legally buy from a primary seller
- ensuring platforms are responsible for incorrect information about tickets listed on their websites for resale
- a new system of licensing for platforms that sell secondary tickets that would enable an authority to act quickly and issue sanctions including taking down websites and imposing fines.
The Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Bill initially included extensive provisions around secondary ticketing, however, these did not survive the legislative process.
The impact of the DMCCA
Since the Ticketmaster investigation was opened, the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) has overhauled UK consumer protection law, including around unfair commercial practices. Before this, the CMA had to apply to court to enforce consumer protection law. Now, however, it is able to enforce directly and impose fines of up to 10% of annual global turnover for non-compliance. The CMA noted that in the event Ticketmaster does not comply with its undertakings, it will take enforcement action, this time under the DMCCA with potentially more penal consequences.
What does this mean for you?
The CMA said the Ticketmaster undertakings send a clear message to all ticketing websites that customers must have access to clear and timely pricing information with accurate ticket descriptions especially where there are different pricing models and queues being used. Businesses selling tickets should take steps to disclose tiered ticketing in advance and review provision of information to customers about ticket pricing to ensure it is clear, comprehensive, and regularly updated where appropriate, not only on their website or app but also in event-specific information and in ticket queues.
