Fans of Britain's biggest music acts were ruthlessly exploited by ticket touts in 2025, paying hundreds of pounds over face value, according to stark new research. A study from telecoms giant O2 has named Coldplay, Oasis, and Billie Eilish as the year's most targeted artists, with the secondary market leaving millions vulnerable to inflated prices.
The Most Exploited Tours of 2025
The data, drawn from O2's 'Priority' platform which sold 1.7 million event tickets last year, paints a clear picture of profiteering. Coldplay's tour led the resale charts, accounting for 11 per cent of touted tickets. This was closely followed by the hugely anticipated Oasis Reunion Tour and Billie Eilish's tour, each making up 10 per cent of the secondary market activity.
Despite a looming government ban, the research found that a staggering seven million UK consumers used uncapped ticket resale sites in 2025. Alarmingly, more than a third (36 per cent) admitted they did not fully understand how these platforms operated.
Staggering Mark-Ups and a £145 Million Cost
Until new legislation takes effect, fans are facing extraordinary premiums. The report highlights egregious examples: £70 tickets for Olivia Dean were being resold for £1,170—a mark-up of 1,571 per cent. Similarly, £50 standing tickets for Lily Allen at the London Palladium appeared online for £860, representing a 1,620 per cent increase on the original price.
O2 estimates that this rampant touting costs British music lovers a colossal £145 million annually, equating to roughly £400,000 drained from fans' pockets every single day.
Government Crackdown on the Horizon
In November, the UK government announced its intention to outlaw the resale of tickets for more than their face value. The proposed law specifically targets touts who use automated bots to snatch up tickets for high-demand concerts. Ministers have pledged to include the measures in the next King's Speech, alongside rules to cap resale platform service fees and limit how many tickets an individual can resell.
Gareth Griffiths, Director of Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, stated: "2025 proved Britain remains the beating heart of live music – but ticket touts continued to exploit fans and undermine that experience. Fans deserve a fairer ticketing system, and O2 will keep pushing to make that happen."
Campaign groups have welcomed the move. Adam Webb, Campaign Manager at the FanFair Alliance, said: "Until the government introduces the promised price-capping legislation, rogue resale platforms will continue to extract hundreds of millions from the UK economy. We will continue pushing for a fan-friendly market alongside O2."
