StubHub UK has been fined nearly £900,000 by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for failing to display mandatory fees upfront, and will refund over 50,000 customers a total exceeding £590,000. The average payout per transaction is expected to be around £10.
CMA Investigation Uncovers Drip Pricing
The CMA found that between April 6 and December 7, 2025, StubHub added mandatory delivery and service fees at the final checkout stage, without initially disclosing them. This practice, known as 'drip pricing', was banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, with strengthened powers effective from April 2025.
According to the CMA, the law requires all secondary ticket providers to clearly show the full price customers will pay, including any non-optional fees. StubHub admitted to breaking the law and agreed to settle early, receiving a 40% reduction on its financial penalty.
Refund Process for Affected Customers
More than 50,000 fans who bought tickets for events at venues like Co-op Live and AO Arena during the eight-month period are affected. StubHub will contact impacted customers directly, and refunds will be automatically credited to the card used for purchase. Customers do not need to take any action.
Emma Cochrane, Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said: “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.”
StubHub's Response and Corrective Action
A StubHub spokesperson stated: "StubHub International supports the CMA's work to protect consumers online and fully cooperated with this investigation. Our UK platform is designed to display all fees upfront – due to an isolated platform error, some minor fees appeared at checkout rather than earlier in the buying process. We identified and corrected the issue promptly, and all affected customers will receive an automatic refund."
Under its new consumer enforcement powers, the CMA has so far secured more than £1.95 million in refunds for customers and levied fines exceeding £5.7 million.
