Spanish consumer watchdog demands action over online ticket management fee ‘abuses’

Spanish consumer watchdog group OCU (Organisation of Consumers and Users) has called on the country’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs to investigate ticketing companies over online management fees.

The OCU has claimed that some ticketing platforms add ‘irregular’ and ‘abusive’ charges at point of purchase without declaring these fees through the buying process.

On its website, the OCU said: “Now, the General Directorate of Consumer Affairs has made a publication reiterating its position regarding the abusive application of management fees in the purchase of tickets through the internet, and an informative note from the General Secretariat of Consumer Affairs and Gambling is in the same line, coinciding with the position of OCU on this issue, which we think is promising news. We ask the Consumer Authorities to take measures to end this practice that is so harmful to the interests of consumers and users.”

Additionally, the OCU bought tickets online through 50 official websites for a number of shows and activities including cinemas, theatres, museums, concerts, festivals, exhibitions and football matches to survey the level of fees.

The group found that 20% did not charge management fees, while 11 of the 50 indicated that the ticket price included the management fee. Twenty eight of the cases saw management expenses charged separately; on average €3 was charged per ticket, roughly 7% of the final price, while in many cases it exceeded 10%. The largest management fees occurred for concerts and music festival tickets, where in the most extreme cases fees totalled 20%.

Addressing the Ministerio de Consumo (Ministry of Consumer Affairs), the OCU asked for action to be taken “as soon as possible, to end the abuse of the management expenses involved in the purchase of online tickets, asking for its application, its amount (with limits proportional to the ticket) and consumer information, based on transparency, to be regulated. We also believe that those who apply unjustified, disproportionate or deceptive charges should be punished”.