The Hungarian competition authority, known as GVH, has reached an agreement with Viagogo, a major secondary ticket sales platform, to enhance its website and consumer information practices. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC), which includes various EU consumer protection authorities, to ensure better consumer rights across Europe.

As part of the agreement, Viagogo has committed to making several changes to its website by August 2024. These changes include providing clearer information on how tickets are ranked in search results, reducing the number of countdown messages that create urgency, and informing consumers whether the ticket seller is a trader or another consumer. Additionally, Viagogo will allow consumers to select specific seat numbers when available and will incorporate shipping fees into the displayed ticket prices when only one shipping option is available.

Viagogo will also modify its general terms and conditions to ensure that consumers can file claims in their home member states and benefit from their national consumer protection laws. The company will extend the time consumers have to request refunds under its guarantee system and will not unilaterally change terms without prior notification. If alternative seating is offered under the guarantee system, it will be of equal or better quality than the original ticket.

The CPC will monitor the implementation of these commitments, and national consumer protection authorities, including the GVH, can enforce compliance, potentially imposing fines if necessary. The GVH had previously fined Viagogo 472 million HUF in 2021 for inadequate consumer information regarding prices and for pressuring consumers with urgent messages.