Surge pricing based on demand is set to be examined by the European Commission amid a backlash to Oasis concert prices soaring due to the practice.
Some fans of the rock band were left shocked last weekend when prices skyrocketed from €86.50 to €415 (excluding booking fee) on Ticketmaster during the sale for tickets to their two Croke Park gigs next August.
On Monday, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said there were "legitimate concerns around the consumer experiences" of buying tickets for Oasis concerts and that it is "actively reviewing the situation".
Ticketmaster has said it does not set concert prices and its website states this is down to the "event organiser" who "has priced these tickets according to their market value".
The practice of increasing or decreasing prices based on demand has been compared to how airline tickets and hotel rooms are sold.
An acting spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed it is working on a "fitness check" of EU consumer law on digital fairness, which it plans to adopt this autumn.
The use of dynamic pricing will be part of this review, the PA news agency understands.
The digital fairness "fitness check" was launched in spring 2022 to "establish whether additional legislation or other action is needed in the medium term to ensure equal fairness online and offline", according to a statement by the European Commission released that year.
The long-awaited Oasis reunion tour drew huge attention from fans as it will see the Manchester-formed Britpop band on stage together for the first time since their major split in 2009.
On 31 August, they revealed the general sale tickets for 17 UK and Ireland gigs had sold out in less than a day, but many fans missed out as they battled website issues and being mislabelled as bots.
Further London dates have now been announced. Other international dates are still to be announced.
An executive at ticket reseller Viagogo has described the current ticketing system for concerts as a "broken space" that "isn't fit for purpose".
Matt Drew, who handles international business development for the ticket marketplace, said the issues were a result of "significant problems" in the industry.
He said: "The issues we saw on Saturday with the Oasis sale are without question indicative of significant problems in this space, really what is a broken space, which needs fixing top to bottom
"I was trying to get tickets, it was chaotic.
"It really isn’t how fans should be treated, when all they’re trying to do is is see one of their favourite bands in one of the biggest gigs of the year.
"So the idea that you’re dumped in a queue, which is a pre-queue to a much bigger queue, that there are 500,000 people in front of you, you get thrown out of the queue and put back to the start, you get accused of being a bot and told you can’t buy a ticket.
"And then, perhaps worst of all, when you finally get there, and you’re thrilled that you actually feel like you’re able to buy a ticket, and at the price that you’ve seen, and been told, and then you get there, and you see at the very end that actually no, really sorry, that’s now nearly three times the price.
"It’s just a mess of an experience.
"So I think what happened on Saturday was something that shone a light on this issue for a broader number of people.
"Those of us who have worked in this space, and Viagogo has operated for 20 plus years very successfully, getting people into concerts and other live events.
"We're obviously aware that these inherent issues existed, and we’ve been saying for some time that this is an industry that needs much more competition.
"It needs much more of a focus on the fan and their experience, and it needs to be opened up and made much more transparent so that we can avoid the fiascos that we that we saw on Saturday."
He added: "We think the system at the moment isn’t fit for purpose."
Mr Drew was asked how his platform could guarantee Oasis fans entry to concerts, given the band had told fans that only tickets bought on Twickets and Ticketmaster would guarantee entry.
"We offer a complete and comprehensive guarantee," he said.
"So in the incredibly rare instances that people do not get into a concert, not necessarily for the reason you just described, but for whatever it could be.
"Whatever reason that it may not work out, a tiny fraction of eventualities, the way that actually happens, there’s a full guarantee, so buyers either get all of their money back, or they get a replacement ticket for the event and they get to go anyway.
"So we feel very confident about this particular topic."
Source: Press Association
