Eight Firms Investigated in UK Online Pricing Crackdown
The UK’s competition watchdog has kicked off a major push against what it sees as unfair online pricing tactics, launching investigations into eight companies across ticketing, driving lessons, gyms and retail.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is using its new consumer protection powers for the first time, focusing on practices like hidden fees, sudden add-ons during checkout, pressure-style sales tactics, and misleading countdown clocks. These new powers allow the regulator to decide directly whether consumer rules have been broken—without going through the courts. If it finds violations, the CMA can order compensation and issue fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover.
The targeted companies include StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School, BSM Driving School, Gold’s Gym, Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Marks Electrical.
The CMA says the goal is simple: make sure people know the real price before they buy. As chief executive Sarah Cardell put it, "it's crucial that people are able to shop online with confidence, knowing that the price they see is the price they'll pay, and any sales are genuine."
The investigations follow a review of more than 400 firms across nearly 20 sectors. Alongside the eight formal probes, the CMA has also sent warning letters to 100 companies across industries ranging from holidays and transport to homeware, ticketing, and fitness, telling them to clean up their pricing practices or risk enforcement action.
The concerns vary by business. StubHub and Viagogo are under review for "mandatory additional charges" on ticket purchases. AA Driving School and BSM Driving School are being examined over how clearly they show the booking fee at the start of a purchase. Gold’s Gym is being checked over a one-off joining fee that may not be included upfront. Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Marks Electrical face questions about time-limited sales and whether shoppers are being automatically opted into extra services.
So far, the CMA says it hasn’t concluded that any laws have been broken.
Some companies have already responded. AA Driving School and BSM said: "We are comfortable that the £3 booking fee for lessons is already transparent and in line with the CMA's rules..." and noted they’ve made the fee even clearer during sign-up. Viagogo said: "We have continually engaged constructively with the CMA and will be fully cooperating with their investigation."
Consumer group Which? called the move “encouraging” and urged the regulator to use its new powers to hit rule-breakers with fines. With the CMA vowing this is only the beginning, online sellers across the UK are now on notice to tighten up their pricing—before the regulator does it for them.
