Live Music Fans Overcharged Up to 20% on Ticket Fees, Which? Report Reveals
Comparing the cost of tickets for an Anne-Marie concert at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena last November, Which? found significant disparities in fees among leading ticket vendors.
For instance, Eventim added a total of £56.37 to the original ticket price of £45, incorporating charges such as a processing fee of £1.50, a delivery and transaction fee of £2.50, a booking fee of £5.62, and a venue levy of £1.75.
Similarly, See Tickets levied a booking fee of £7.37, along with additional fees totaling £2.50, resulting in a final price of £54.87 for customers.
Ticketmaster customers faced a total charge of £55.60, inclusive of a service charge of £6.10, a facility charge of £1.75, and an order processing fee of £2.75.
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, condemned these added fees as “sneaky drip pricing tactics,” highlighting the frustration felt by music fans who perceive such practices as exploitation.
The findings come amidst growing concerns over the affordability of music festivals, with a recent Opinium poll revealing that two-thirds of UK adults believe such events are becoming prohibitively expensive. Additionally, 57% of respondents expressed support for capping festival ticket prices.
In response to these concerns, musician Yungblud announced plans for his own festival, Bludfest, citing dissatisfaction with the rising costs of live music events.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also pledged action, vowing to cap ticket resale prices and bolster regulation on resale platforms if his party assumes power in the next general election.
In statements to Sky News, Ticketmaster defended the fees, attributing them to costs shared with event organizers and supporting legislation for transparent pricing across the industry. Eventim echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing their commitment to upfront fee disclosure during the booking process.
