StubHub has been directed to reimburse numerous customers following its failure to disclose mandatory fees upfront in the ticket prices.
The ticket resale platform was caught utilizing drip pricing, a strategy that inflates the final checkout cost by introducing unavoidable fees later in the buying process.
This practice is prohibited in the UK, mandating companies to display the total price before customers proceed to checkout. As a result of this violation, StubHub is now obligated to refund over £590,000 to more than 50,000 fans.
Furthermore, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has imposed a hefty fine of nearly £900,000 on StubHub for its actions.
The CMA investigation revealed that between April 6 and December 7, 2025, StubHub neglected to include essential expenses such as delivery and service fees until the final checkout stage, leading to an inaccurate total price display initially.
While StubHub took corrective measures to discontinue drip pricing and settled the case early, the company received a 40% reduction in its fine. According to consumer protection laws, the CMA can penalize companies up to 10% of their global turnover for breaching regulations.
Emma Cochrane, the CMA’s Executive Director of Consumer Protection, emphasized that concealing fees from customers is unlawful and unfair. She highlighted the importance of transparency in pricing to prevent misleading consumers.
Individual refunds will vary based on the amount paid in fees, with an average reimbursement expected to be approximately £10 per transaction. StubHub will contact eligible customers for automatic refunds.
In response, StubHub expressed support for the CMA’s consumer protection efforts and cooperated fully with the investigation. The company attributed the fee discrepancies to an isolated platform error, promptly rectified the issue, and assured affected customers of automatic refunds.
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