The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on 19 August 2026 that it had opened three consumer protection investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School over concerns that customers were not shown the total price upfront, in the context of a wider crackdown on so-called drip pricing.

For Trainline, the CMA said it observed fees of £0.59 to £2.79 on train transactions and a £1.50 booking fee on coach bookings. For Virgin Atlantic, it is examining whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes appeared in upfront package holiday prices. For RED Driving School, it is looking at how a mandatory booking fee and a 'digital' fee, described as £7 or more per booking, were displayed.

All three had earlier received advisory letters under the CMA's new enforcement powers. The regulator said it has reached no conclusions and can order fines of up to 10 per cent of global turnover and consumer compensation if it finds breaches. Emma Cochrane, the CMA's Executive Director for Consumer Protection, said the first price customers see should be the price they pay.