The UK government is looking to clamp down on so-called “hidden fees” charged by transport and hospitality firms.
The Department for Business and Trade is proposing a series of new measures to “boost transparency” for consumers after research showed that 72 per cent of transport companies were found to have hidden charges within their booking and sales processes. This figure was 56 per cent for the hospitality industry.
“The research has confirmed so-called ‘drip pricing’ – where the price paid at checkout is higher than originally advertised due to extra, but necessary, fees – is widespread,” said the department in a statement.
“New research found three quarters of transport sector have hidden fees in their products, highlighting the need for clearer and fairer customer journey.”
The UK government has today (4 September) launched a wider consumer consultation on the issue, which also covers fake reviews and confusing labels across different sectors including transport, supermarket shopping and food deliveries.
The airline industry has introduced a range of ancillary products in recent years as part of the unbundling of fares, including seat allocation, baggage and priority boarding, but there have been arguments about how many of these charges are optional or not for passengers.