Ticketmaster investigated by UK's competition watchdog over Oasis ticket sales after price surge

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its investigation would include how so-called “dynamic pricing” may have been used and would scrutinise whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

The investigation would consider whether Ticketmaster had engaged in unfair commercial practices, if people were given clear and timely information to explain that the tickets could be subject to so-called “dynamic pricing”, and if consumers 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.

The CMA said it would now engage with Ticketmaster and gather evidence from various other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organisers. However, the CMA said it should not be assumed that Ticketmaster had broken consumer protection law.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said: “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 checkout.

“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 the Government to tackle the longstanding challenges in the ticket market.”

There have been widespread concerns by the public regarding the sale of the tickets by Ticketmaster, “and possibly other primary ticket sellers”, on August 31. Dynamic pricing led to standard tickets for the Oasis reunion tour more than doubling from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster. While the CMA stated this practice is "not in itself unlawful," it emphasised that businesses "must not mislead customers about their prices and must be transparent about how prices are set."