StubHub to refund 50,000 customers after hidden fees fine

StubHub UK must refund more than 50,000 customers after it hid mandatory delivery and service fees until the final stage of checkout, inflating the true ticket price for fans buying gigs and sports tickets. The Competition and Markets Authority said the total repayments will exceed £590,000, with average refunds of around £10 per transaction.

The watchdog said the pricing practice broke consumer law during a period running from 6 April to 7 December 2025, when the extra charges only appeared at the point of purchase. StubHub UK was also fined close to £900,000, although that penalty was reduced by 40% after the company admitted breaking the law and agreed to settle early.

Customers do not need to claim their money back. The CMA said refunds will be paid automatically to the card used to buy the tickets, a detail that matters for buyers who may never have realised the listed price was not the final price.

The case is the latest sign of a broader crackdown on junk fees and hidden online pricing, an area where regulators are under pressure to make headline prices match the amount consumers actually pay. Emma Cochrane, the CMA’s executive director of consumer protection, said hidden fees are illegal and unfair because they stop shoppers comparing prices accurately from the start.

The CMA said StubHub UK took immediate steps to end the conduct after the case was raised, and the company’s early settlement helped it avoid a larger financial hit. The regulator said its new consumer enforcement powers have already secured more than £1.95 million in refunds and more than £5.7 million in fines, a haul that suggests tougher oversight of online marketplaces is now becoming routine.

For ticket buyers, the ruling is a warning that a low headline price may still conceal a higher final bill, especially on resale platforms where fees can appear only at the last click. For regulators in Britain and beyond, including the United States, the decision adds momentum to efforts to force businesses to show the full cost upfront.