The UK government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to combat excessive ticket touting, with a primary focus on implementing price caps for resale tickets and introducing stricter regulations for ticket resellers.

The initiative, part of the government's Plan for Change, comes in response to widespread complaints about soaring concert ticket prices, particularly highlighted by recent high-profile events like Taylor Swift concerts and Oasis' comeback tour.

Key Components of the Plan:

• Price cap on resale tickets (proposed up to 30% above original price)
• Limits on the number of primary tickets resellers can purchase
• New legal obligations for resale platforms regarding information accuracy
• Review of existing consumer protection legislation
• Potential new licensing regime for resale platforms
• Possible increase to the current £5,000 maximum fine for rule violations

The government is launching a public consultation to gather feedback on these proposed measures, specifically focusing on determining appropriate price caps and purchase limitations for resellers.

While the plan aims to prevent industrial-scale touting and inflated prices, questions remain about its practical implementation. Critics note that price caps on official resale platforms might push transactions to unofficial channels, where consumers could arrange supplemental payments outside the regulated system.

The initiative reflects growing consumer frustration with increasing concert ticket prices, though it comes at a time when some festivals are experiencing decreased demand. The effectiveness of these measures will become clearer as implementation begins in 2025.

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