The UK's competition watchdog has fined live event ticket marketplace StubHub £889,200 for failing to disclose additional fees until customers reached the checkout stage. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also ordered the company to refund more than 50,000 customers, with an average payout of £10.33 per person.
Illegal Drip Pricing Practice
The CMA found that StubHub engaged in an illegal practice known as drip pricing, where mandatory costs such as delivery and service fees were only revealed at the final stage of the purchase process. Between April 5 and December 7 2025, customers were required to pay these unavoidable charges without being given upfront pricing, preventing them from accurately comparing prices between sellers.
Emma Cochrane, executive director of consumer protection at the CMA, stated: “Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It’s not fair to draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout due to extra charges that can’t be avoided.”
Refund Process and Cooperation
StubHub will contact the 51,350 affected fans to arrange refunds, which will be automatically repaid onto the card used for the original ticket purchase. The company immediately took steps to end the practice and cooperated with the CMA during its investigation, according to the watchdog. StubHub also admitted to breaking the law and agreed to settle the case early, qualifying for a 40% reduction on the fine.
Broader CMA Investigation
The CMA is also investigating rival secondary ticket website Viagogo over concerns about hidden fees and will share an update later in the summer. Since November last year, the regulator has been probing eight companies in total over their online pricing practices.
