Eight companies are currently under investigation for their online pricing practices, with an additional 100 businesses expected to receive warnings. The firms facing scrutiny include StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School, BSM Driving School, Gold’s Gym, Wayfair, Appliances Direct, and Marks Electrical.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is focusing on how fees are displayed online, concerns over potentially misleading time-limited offers, and whether customers are being automatically enrolled in optional charges. Specifically, StubHub and Viagogo are being investigated for additional charges related to ticket purchases, while AA Driving School and BSM Driving School are being probed for how they present fees on their websites.
Gold’s Gym is being examined for its handling of a one-off joining fee for annual memberships, Wayfair is under scrutiny for time-limited sales, Marks Electrical is being investigated for default opt-ins, and Appliances Direct is facing scrutiny for their use of time-limited sales and default opt-ins.
The CMA emphasized that these investigations are based on suspicions of potential breaches of consumer law, with no final decisions made yet. These cases mark the first use of the CMA’s new consumer protection powers, with the watchdog also reaching out to 100 businesses regarding concerns over additional fees and sales tactics.
CMA’s chief executive, Sarah Cardell, stressed the importance of ensuring consumers can shop online confidently, without being misled by prices or pressured into purchases. She stated that businesses must adhere to fair practices, and swift action will be taken against any violations of consumer law.
Spokespersons from AA Driving School and Viagogo have expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigations. The Mirror has reached out to Gold’s Gym, Wayfair, Marks Electrical, and Appliances Direct for comments, noting that BSM Driving School is owned by the AA, and Viagogo and StubHub share a parent company.