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UK Competition & Markets Authority To Investigate Ticketmaster
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority CMA is investigating whether the Oasis onsale by Ticketmaster may have breached the country’s consumer protection laws.
As the agency published on it website, Sept. 5, “the CMA is investigating concerns regarding the sale of Oasis concert tickets by Ticketmaster, including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used.”
CMA also scrutinizes, if “people were given clear and timely information to explain that the tickets could be subject to so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ with prices changing depending on demand, and how this would operate, including the price they would pay for any tickets purchased,” as well as whether “people were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time – at a higher price than they understood they would have to pay, potentially impacting their purchasing decisions.”
See: UK Government Calls For Dynamic Pricing Review After Oasis OnSale
During the initial stage of this investigation CMA will be engaging with Ticketmaster, and gathering evidence from various other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organizers.
Fans are being asked to provide evidence of their experiences in relation to the purchase or attempted purchase of Oasis tickets through an online form, including any screenshots that may help make their case. The form will be accessible until Sept. 19, when the evidence period ends.
The CMA emphasizes, “it should not be assumed that Ticketmaster has broken consumer protection law,” adding that it “will also consider whether it is appropriate to investigate the conduct of anyone else in relation to the matter.”
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster said, “We are committed to cooperating with the CMA and look forward to sharing more facts about the ticket sale with them.”
According to UK consumer law, “ticket sales sites must be transparent in their dealings with consumers and give clear and accurate information about the price people have to pay. Failure to do so may breach the law,” the CMA sums it up.
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CMA’s chief executive Sarah Cardell commented, “It’s important that fans are treated fairly when they buy tickets, which is why we’ve launched this investigation. It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check-out. We want to hear from fans who went through the process and may have encountered issues so that we can investigate whether existing consumer protection law has been breached.
“The CMA also welcomes the government’s recent announcement that it will consult on measures to provide stronger protections to consumers in the ticketing sector, wherever they buy their tickets. This has been a priority focus for the CMA for several years, having previously taken enforcement action and recommended changes to improve the secondary tickets market. We are committed to working closely with government to tackle the longstanding challenges in the ticket market.”
It is the CMA’s view, “that more protections are needed for consumers buying tickets on the secondary market, as we have previously set out in our proposals to government in 2021. The CMA welcomes the government’s commitment to consult on measures to improve consumer protections in this sector and will work closely with them to get the best outcomes for fans and fair-dealing businesses.”