A major US consumer group has urged President-Elect Donald Trump to force ticket vendors and other operators to fully disclose all hidden fees in their publicised prices.
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is calling for the extra charges on goods and services to be included in ads and website pricing so consumers can ‘comparison shop’ knowing total prices.
The group said Trump’s election victory followed a campaign during which voters regularly voiced concerns about corporate greed and deceit. It said that Trump’s administration should compel all mandatory charges and hidden fees to be made clear to consumers.
The CFA cited new reports by the White House’s National Economic Council (NEC) and the Federal Trade Commission in calling for Trump to address the issue. The NEC said event ticketing hidden fees such as service, processing or delivery charges can amount to 20 per cent or more of the base price of the ticket and are mandatory. It also criticised hotels, airlines and phone networks.
Mark Cooper, the CFA’s director of research, said in a statement: “After an election campaign in which middle class, consumer pocketbook issues and abuse of corporate power played a big part, this is a perfect time for the new administration to start requiring all businesses to include mandatory fees in advertised prices.
“The undisputed elements of free market competition are comparison shopping and knowing the true cost of goods and services before buyers plunk down their hard earned dollars.”
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