Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A spokesperson for The European Commission ratified it is investigating Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing, after backlash from the Oasis sale.
It came after the band’s long-awaited reunion tour was reported for the summer of 2025, and millions of people endeavoured to get tickets. Prices for the Oasis tour were approved ahead of ticket sales on August 31 but many lovers were left upset and angry when they found tickets had more than doubled in price. Tickets were supposed to start at £73 per person, but fans on Ticketmaster met prices as high as £355 due to their demand.
Why Is the EU Investigating Ticketmaster’s Dynamic Pricing?
The European Commission is stated to have launched an “urgent review” into the platform’s ability to increase prices of concert tickets based on demand in light of the inflated costs for the Britpop legend’s highly anticipated 2025 reunion tour.
The US-owned company has been meant it could have breached UK and European regulations over the inflated prices with some tickets increasing from £135 to £350. A spokesperson for The European Commission ratified it is investigating dynamic pricing. And the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also told the forum it is “urgently reviewing” the use of the system.
Is Ticketmaster’s Dynamic Pricing in Violation of EU Laws?
A spokesperson said: “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.”
Although dynamic pricing itself is not illegal, there are concerns the way it was used could be a violation of EU directives. Hundreds of official complaints have been pushed to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) arguing Ticketmaster didn’t inform people beforehand that tickets could cost £350.
It was only when fans came to the checkout after hours in an online line that they found out the cost had increased. As noted by Sky News, the UK’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated: “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.”
