Ticket resale platform StubHub has been ordered to refund more than £590,000 to customers and fined nearly £900,000 following a ruling by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over the use of prohibited pricing practices. The CMA found that between April 6 and December 7, 2025, StubHub failed to display mandatory fees such as delivery and service charges upfront, instead adding them only at the final stage of the checkout process. This practice, known as drip pricing, is unlawful in the UK as it misleads consumers by showing a lower initial price than the amount ultimately payable.

The regulator determined that StubHub’s approach resulted in more than 50,000 customers being charged undisclosed fees, necessitating refunds that average around £10 per transaction. Consumers affected by the violation will be contacted directly and automatically reimbursed. In addition to the refunds, StubHub was fined close to £900,000, a penalty reduced by 40% due to its early cooperation and corrective action in addressing the issue.

CMA executive director Emma Cochrane emphasized the impact of such practices on consumers, stating that it is unfair for customers to be attracted by an apparent deal only to be confronted with unavoidable additional costs at checkout. Under UK consumer protection laws, companies can face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover for similar breaches.

StubHub responded by acknowledging the findings and asserting its cooperation throughout the investigation. The company attributed the error to an isolated platform issue that caused some fees to appear late in the purchase process, but said it identified and resolved the problem promptly.

The CMA’s action underscores the increasing scrutiny of pricing transparency in digital marketplaces and reinforces the obligation for online sellers to present full pricing details at the outset to ensure fair consumer treatment.