More than 50,000 fans to be repaid after StubHub UK pricing breach
Key Points
- CMA fined StubHub UK £889,200 for hidden ticket fees
- 51,350 customers to be refunded over £590,000 in total
- Average refund around £10.33 per transaction
- Breach involved drip pricing between April and December 2025
- Refunds automatic; affected customers need take no action
More than 50,000 StubHub UK customers will be repaid over £590,000 after the competition watchdog found the ticket marketplace hid mandatory fees from buyers in breach of consumer law.
The Competition and Markets Authority fined StubHub UK £889,200 and ordered it to refund 51,350 customers after ruling the company failed to show the total price of tickets upfront.
The regulator found that the platform, one of the largest marketplaces for buying and selling tickets to live shows and sporting events in the UK, added unavoidable charges later in the purchase process rather than including them in the price displayed at the start.
The conduct breached rules requiring traders to present the full cost of a purchase from the outset.
The CMA found that between 6 April and 7 December 2025, some buyers were required to pay mandatory costs such as delivery and service fees that were applied only at the final stage of checkout.
The practice, known as drip pricing, was banned last year under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The regulator said the approach can cause customers to be caught out by extra charges and to buy tickets they might not otherwise have chosen, having been unable to compare prices accurately from the start.
Affected customers
Affected customers do not need to take any action to receive their money back. StubHub UK will contact buyers directly, with refunds repaid automatically onto the card used to purchase the tickets.
The amount returned to each customer will vary according to the fees they paid, with the average payout around £10.33 per transaction.
StubHub UK moved to end the conduct immediately and engaged with the CMA throughout the investigation.
The company admitted breaking the law and agreed to settle the case early, securing a 40% reduction to its financial penalty. A company that settles agrees not to appeal or challenge the decision in court, allowing the regulator to resolve cases more quickly and return refunds to consumers sooner.
The action forms part of the CMA’s wider effort to tackle unlawful online pricing practices under enforcement powers that came into force in April 2025.
Since then, the regulator has secured more than £1.95 million in refunds for customers and levied fines exceeding £5.7 million. Its clear pricing campaign sets out a three-step checklist intended to help businesses display prices clearly and upfront.
Emma Cochrane, Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said hidden fees were illegal and unfair to shoppers. “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,” she said.
“Going to a live gig or sports game is an event many people save for, and our action today means thousands of fans will get back money taken unfairly through hidden fees. Our message to businesses is simple: be transparent on costs or risk CMA action.”
Under consumer protection law, the CMA can fine a company up to 10% of its global turnover, or £300,000 where that figure is higher.
