Ministers have promised an investigation following complaints from fans about inflated ticket prices for Oasis' 2025 reunion tour. Despite these concerns, industry experts assert that "dynamic pricing" is legal and operates based on supply and demand principles.

The British government is preparing to investigate the use of "dynamic pricing" by event organizers following a weekend surge in ticket prices for Oasis concerts. Tickets for the Manchester band's upcoming 17-date reunion tour in the UK and Republic of Ireland went on sale on Saturday morning, with most tickets initially priced at £150 (€178, $197).

However, due to high demand, fans faced long online queues and were met with significantly higher prices once they accessed the ticketing site. UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy described the situation as "depressing" and announced that the government would examine transparency in dynamic pricing—an automated system that adjusts prices based on demand—as part of its broader investigation into consumer protection.

Nandy emphasized the need to work with artists, industry stakeholders, and fans to create a fairer ticketing system that combats scalpers and inflated resale prices, ensuring tickets are sold at reasonable rates.

Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons and a colleague of Nandy, experienced the issue firsthand on Saturday. She purchased two tickets for an Oasis concert in Manchester at the inflated price of £350 ($460) each. Powell acknowledged the reality of dynamic pricing but criticized the lack of transparency, stating that consumers should be aware of potential price increases after waiting for extended periods.

Dynamic pricing is not illegal and has been used in various industries, such as ride-sharing apps and airline ticket sales. Schellion Horn, a competition economist at Grant Thornton, explained that dynamic pricing reflects supply and demand, suggesting that the high prices indicated a willingness among buyers to pay more.

Despite this, many fans felt exploited. Rachael Board, an Oasis fan from Devon, expressed frustration after paying £495 for a ticket, far exceeding her initial budget of £150. She described the experience as "greed" and lamented the financial burden it imposed.

Ticketmaster attributed the pricing to the "event organizer," noting that prices are set based on market value. Jonathan Brown, CEO of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, supported this, indicating that the band likely set the prices. Oasis and their management have not yet commented.

Prior to the Labour Party's decisive general election victory in July, party leader Keir Starmer had pledged to regulate ticket prices for various events to ensure fair access to cultural activities and protect fans from exploitative practices.