Consumer organizations have been denouncing the “abuses” of music festival promoters for years (at least since 2017). To name a few, the prohibition to enter the event with food and drink, to have to pay with a coin or cashless wristband, or to be charged to leave and enter the venue, despite having religiously paid the entrance fee show But neither the autonomous communities nor the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had done anything… until now.
The department headed by Alberto Garzón has for the first time instituted a sanctioning case against a company that organizes events and festivals in various parts of the country. The reason is that the company includes as a mandatory clause the express prohibition of entering the festival site with food or drink from outside, which is why attendees can be registered and, if necessary, denied entry entry for this reason.
If these facts are proven (there is no shortage of witnesses, it is enough to look at social networks) the fines facing this company, whose name Consum does not want to reveal, could reach one million euros and up to eight times the illicit profit obtained if it is greater than one million euros.
But who does know which promoter is the Facua organization, which pointed out a few weeks ago DQG Nord, AIE, organizer of the Reggaeton Beach Festival, which takes place in eleven Spanish locations (Madrid -where the City Council withdrew them the license for security reasons?, Marina D’Or, Asturias, Tenerife, Marbella, Benidorm, Mallorca, Barcelona, ??Santander, Torrevella and Galicia), to prevent access to premises with food and drink from outside, not allow the payment in cash inside and “keep part of the money from the cashless bracelets in the refund”, explains a spokesperson of this entity.
Facua’s complaint to the Department of Consumer Affairs when the event was held did not fall on deaf ears this time and he opened a disciplinary file with a proposed fine of 11,000 euros.
But since the irregularities take place in different communities, both the consumer authorities of the Balearic Islands and those of Catalonia (the festival was held in July), asked the Ministry of Garzón to take charge of the case, explains a spokesperson from Facua. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has received this sanctioning power from the reform of the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users, of 2022. Its first action is, precisely, to investigate the alleged abusive clauses of the promoters of events that move thousands of millions of euros.
The investigated company includes as a mandatory clause the express prohibition of entering the festival site with food or drink from outside, which is why attendees can be registered and, if necessary, denied entry to this reason, they explain from Consum. However, at each of the organized festivals, it is specified that you can access certain food and drink – a small bottle of water, a piece of fruit, a sandwich or a sealed snack – although it is additionally added in another section that does not sandwiches or homemade food sealed in silver foil will be accepted.
The imposition of a payment system using cashless bracelets, without accepting cash, is also being investigated, an action contrary to the law. In addition, the return and reimbursement of the remaining amount is not allowed below 2 euros due to the management costs, which amount to 1.5 euros.
Facua has also denounced the Bilbao BBK Live festival, the Benicàssim International, the Wake Up
