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ARTICLE · 04 MAY 2026

Driving Away Drip Pricing: How A £3 Booking Fee Turned Into A £5 Million Fine

Duane Morris LLP
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The Competition and Markets Authority has imposed its first financial penalty under new direct enforcement powers, ordering the AA to refund over 80,000 learner drivers and pay a £4.2 million fine for drip pricing practice

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Oliver Kent
Oliver Kent
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Today, the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) ordered the AA, which owns both AA Driving School and BSM Driving School, to refund more than 80,000 learner drivers over £760,000, and pay a fine of £4.2 million, bringing the total bill to nearly £5 million. The offence? A mandatory £3 booking fee that was not included in the headline price shown to customers at the start of their online journey.

This is the first financial penalty the CMA has imposed under new direct enforcement powers granted to it in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (“DMCCA”). It will not be the last.

What happened?

Between April and December 2025, customers booking driving lessons on the AA and BSM websites were shown prices that, initially, did not include a mandatory booking fee. For new customers, the full price was only revealed at checkout after lessons had been selected, times chosen, and personal details entered. For returning customers, the booking fee was shown separately and

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