News – Getting tough on touting

The ticketing industry is working on proposals to introduce a cross-sector ticket returns policy whereby ticket-buyers can return tickets at face value to the original sellers if they are unable to attend a sporting or entertainment event. A website is also being set up, by the Concert Promoters Association, where fans can exchange tickets at face value. The moves follow a warning by Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, that the Government may legislate to give greater protection to consumers if the industry itself fails to deliver significant progress on tackling ticket touting.
At a summit involving representatives from the Concert Promoters Association, the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers and the Society of London Theatre, as well as from sporting bodies and eBay, an action plan was drawn up to address the problem of genuine fans being priced out of the market by ticket touts who can charge up to ten times the face value of tickets for the most popular sporting and entertainment events. A public consultation, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will now set out to establish the views of consumers and industry on what action is necessary. All parties will be working more closely with the Office of Fair Trading to draw up terms and conditions and kite marks for ticket sales websites, so that consumers know if they are buying from an approved agent. They will also attempt to agree an over-arching code of practice covering both primary and secondary ticket-sellers.