Consumer affairs fines a music festival organiser 320,000 euros for unfair practices

This is how some of Spain’s most popular music festivals have operated until now – practices the Government now wants to put a stop to.

The ministry of consumer affairs has ruled that these practices were illegal and has fined a company organising these events 320,000 euros for committing four serious offences. The name of the promoter has not been disclosed, but it operates in several autonomous communities.

The ruling, initiated by the department headed by Pablo Bustinduy, brings to a close an investigation launched following a complaint by Facua-Consumidores en Acción and requires the company – which, according to the ministry, has already admitted its liability – to immediately remove all clauses identified as unfair.

To date, the highest fine was imposed in Madrid in 2025 on the organiser of the Brava Madrid festival, amounting to 96,000 euros.

The bulk of the fine is divided between four practices. The first is a total ban on bringing food or drink purchased outside the festival onto the premises, a restriction which the organisers reinforced by also reserving the right to search attendees at the entrance. Added to this was a charge for re-entry: anyone wishing to leave the venue during the event and return later had to pay an additional fee on top of the ticket price they had already paid.

The consumer affairs department has also identified irregularities in the ‘cashless’ wristband system – the cashless payment method used to buy food, drink or clothing at major events such as festivals and concerts, which functions as a digital wallet worn on the wrist: this is common and often compulsory at such events.

The company restricted the window for requesting a refund of unspent money to a very specific period, charged a fee for doing so and, furthermore, kept any remaining balance of less than two euros for itself.

The fourth infringement relates to so-called "administration fees" on ticket sales. The ministry has found that this surcharge did not correspond to any actual service provided to the purchaser, but was simply a disguised price increase.

In this regard, the ministry pointed out that ticket prices must be final and comprehensive from the outset, including all charges: booking fees may only be charged if they correspond to an actual service. Resale is not prohibited, but you must check that the promoter permits it. If tickets are purchased outside the official sales channel, it is important to ensure that they are not personalised, that entry is guaranteed, and that they have been listed for sale by the event organisers rather than for events created by the platforms.

Furthermore, the festival must ensure access to tap water at the event and a ban on bringing in food and drink may be considered unfair if their consumption is permitted within the venue through purchase.