Competition watchdog investigates eight firms for drip pricing and pressure selling
Ticket sites, driving schools and appliance shops are among the eight companies under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for suspected dodgy pricing practices.
These investigations are part of a 'major package of action' by the CMA, looking into online pricing practices such as drip pricing and pressure selling.
Both of these practices are banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act), which came into force in April 2025.
The regulator is also writing to 100 businesses across 14 sectors, outlining concerns about their use of additional fees and sales tactics.
Read on to find out which companies the regulator is investigating and why.
Viagogo, StubHub, Wayfair and others under investigation
The CMA says it has 'reason to suspect' the eight firms it's investigating have infringed consumer law in relation to their use of fees, misleading time-limited offers or by automatically opting customers in for optional charges.
Here's a summary of who and what it's investigating:
- StubHub and Viagogo for whether mandatory additional fees are included upfront.
- The AA Driving School and BSM Driving School for whether mandatory fees are included in the total price you see at the beginning of the buying process.
- Gold’s Gym for whether its presentation of a one-off joining fee for its annual membership (which is introduced part way through the sign-up process) breaks the law.
- Wayfair for whether its time-limited sales ended when it said they would.
- Marks Electrical for whether you're automatically opted in to purchasing additional services.
- Appliances Direct for both whether its time-limited sales ended when it said they would, and whether customers are automatically opted in to purchasing additional services.
These eight investigations are the first launched by the CMA using its new consumer protection powers under the new DMCC Act. These enable it to decide whether consumer laws have been broken, rather than having to go through the courts.
If the CMA finds there has been an infringement of the law, it can order businesses to pay compensation to affected customers. It can also fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover.
The CMA says it hasn't reached any conclusions about whether the law has been broken in any of these investigations.
- Find out more: sneaky fees banned under new law campaigned for by Which?
Major review highlights concerns in travel, fashion and parking sectors
These investigations come after a CMA review into more than 400 businesses in 19 different sectors to assess their compliance with rules around price transparency.
Following this review, the regulator is also writing to 100 businesses across 14 sectors - including the travel, retail, cinema, fashion, online vouchers, luggage storage, parking and food delivery sectors - outlining concerns about their use of additional fees and sales tactics.
Some of its concerns are around the use of drip pricing (which is when consumers are presented with an upfront price only to have fees added during the checkout journey) and misleading countdown timers.
Both of these practices are banned under the DMCC Act, which came into force in April 2025 following a number of Which? investigations.
The CMA is also publishing new guidance to help businesses comply with the law on price transparency.
It says its actions will ensure that people can shop with confidence. and that fair-dealing businesses can compete on a level playing field.
'The CMA shouldn't hesitate to fine firms'
Over the years, Which? has repeatedly exposed companies and sectors engaging in dodgy pricing practices that leave consumers ripped off.
We've looked at sneaky fees charged by ticket sites (including fees to print your ticket at home), as well as exposing a number of travel firms for breaking the law on drip pricing back in May.
Which? is encouraged to see the CMA taking action to ensure businesses are compliant with the new rules.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: 'Which? has repeatedly exposed dodgy business practices like drip pricing and pressure selling, so it's encouraging that the regulator is taking this action. It shouldn’t hesitate to use its new consumer enforcement powers to fine any firms that have broken the rules.
'Which? fought hard for tough new rules against these rip-off tactics, which will benefit both consumers and businesses that play fair. This action underlines the value of effective regulation in ensuring unscrupulous firms don't get unfair advantages over companies that comply with the law.'
