(CNN) –– The UK competition watchdog is to investigate Ticketmaster over concerns the company treated customers unfairly when selling tickets for Oasis' upcoming tour.
The investigation represents a new headache for Ticketmaster's parent company, Live Nation, one of the world's largest concert promoters, which is also facing an antitrust lawsuit in the United States that could force the firm to break up.
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Thursday it would investigate whether fans were told tickets could be subject to so-called dynamic pricing, where a company adjusts prices based on factors such as demand.
“While the practice is not automatically unlawful, it may breach consumer protection or competition law in certain circumstances,” the CMA said in a statement. statementThe authority will also assess whether people were pressured to buy tickets quickly at a higher price than they understood they would have to pay.
“Consumer law is clear: ticketing sites must be transparent in their dealings with consumers and provide clear and accurate information about the price people are expected to pay,” the CMA added.
The authority said that depending on the evidence, it could close the investigation, obtain a commitment from Ticketmaster to address the concerns or take legal action against the company. The CMA will only have the power to impose fines when the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act comes into force later this year.
A Ticketmaster spokesman said the company was cooperating with the CMA.
Fans trying to buy tickets over the weekend for the British rock band's 2025 tour complained on social media of inflated prices, long waits and error messages on Ticketmaster's website.
One person posted on X that they had waited five hours to purchase tickets and received a message saying, “Your session has been suspended.”
Fans should be “treated fairly” when purchasing tickets, CMA CEO Sarah Cardell said in a statement Thursday. “It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were shocked by the price of their tickets at the time of checkout.”
A Ticketmaster spokesperson told CNN on Saturday that the company does not set ticket prices. According to Ticketmaster's website, promoters and artists set prices, which can be fixed or based on demand.
The process of purchasing tickets for major concerts often creates angst among buyers. Ticketmaster faced public scrutiny in November 2022 for its handling of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
The company was embroiled in controversy after an error related to the sale of tickets for a concert to celebrate the coronation of King Charles to the British throne.
