The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said it believes there are “legitimate concerns” around the consumer experiences of buying concert tickets over the weekend, confirming that it was “actively reviewing the situation” and would consider all actions to ensure consumer protection law is followed.
Several politicians have called upon the consumer watchdog to investigate Ticketmaster and its controversial pricing system that saw the cost of Oasis tickets surge during the sales window on Saturday morning.
Speaking to the , a spokesperson for the CCPC said: “In terms of pricing, under consumer law in Ireland, consumers should be clearly informed of the full price of a product, including fees, before they buy.
“The role of the CCPC in the context of ticket prices is to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accurate information, for example, that they are told of all booking and related charges before they pay.
“The CCPC believes there are legitimate concerns around the consumer experiences of buying concert tickets this weekend. We are actively reviewing the situation and we will consider all options to ensure consumer protection law is followed.”
The spokesperson added that there are no price controls in Ireland, apart from in certain, limited areas and individual businesses can decide on the prices of the products they sell.
They are also allowed to adjust their prices in response to demand or other factors, once an accurate price is displayed to the consumer in advance of the sale so they can decide if they want to proceed.
Speaking on the CCPC’s announcement, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said Ireland has “robust legislative protections” in place for consumers in Ireland, adding that he was “committed to ensuring consumers are provided with sufficient pricing information before they choose to purchase a product or service, including tickets.”
“Concert ticket sales over the weekend have caused distress amongst some consumers and I have asked the CCPC to report to me on their review of pricing strategies employed,” Mr Burke continued.
Dara Calleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, added: “Consumer law requires traders to provide information to consumers on price, allowing consumer to make informed decisions in advance of purchasing tickets.
“It is vital that consumers are aware of their rights and my Department will continue to work with the CCPC on protecting consumers in this area.”
Many Oasis fans who waited this weekend in huge online queues for tickets to the band’s two gigs at Dublin’s Croke Park were left shocked when they found that prices for standing tickets had rocketed by the time they finally got the opportunity to make a purchase, with some quoted at €415.50 per ticket.
Following the chaos, Irish MEP Regina Doherty said she had written to the European Commissioner for Competition calling for an investigation into ticket pricing.
“When ticket prices were advertised earlier this week, standing tickets in Croke Park were €86.50 plus booking fees, but when many people eventually got through the online queue this morning, they were faced with the exact same ticket at a price of €415.50,” she said.
“That’s not transparent advertising and certainly not fair to consumers.”
In addition, Tánaiste Micheál Martin called on those involved in ticket sales to reflect on what has transpired as “there are a lot of disappointed people out there from the perspective of what they would see as price gouging”.