Secondary ticket sites found to be breaching Consumer Rights Act

A Which? investigation has discovered secondary ticket websites are not complying with measures implemented as part of The Consumer Rights Act 2015.

The measures were included following a successful campaign by a wide range of sporting organisations, including the Sport and Recreation Alliance, who were concerned that ticket touts were taking advantage of sports fans over tickets to in-demand events.

The Consumer Rights Act requires that key details be given at the time of resale, including the face value of the ticket, the seating area as well as any restrictions that apply.

After looking at the top five resale ticket websites, which included tickets for events like the Rugby World Cup and Six Nations, Which? found key booking information missing in a number of instances.

The secondary ticketing market is worth an estimated £1bn a year. Yet consumers are sometimes not always able to make an informed decision when it comes to buying tickets due to a lack of information from the sellers.

The Consumer Rights Act requires that consumers are provided with the face value of tickets being resold. Without this information, it’s impossible for consumers to tell whether they’re getting a good deal.

Which?'s findings come after last week's announcement that the Government is to launch a review on the online protection measures afforded to those who purchase tickets online from resllers.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "It’s unacceptable that these ticket resale sites are getting away with not providing fans with key ticket information, leaving them unsure whether their ticket is a good deal, where they’ll be seated or if they’ll even get in."

"Reselling sites cannot continue to push the blame onto individual ticket sellers. Instead they must take responsibility for information displayed on their websites and ensure consumers have enough details to make an informed choice."

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