It would require businesses to disclose total prices upfront.

Summary

The FTC has finalized a rule banning “junk fees” for hotels, live-event tickets, and vacation rentals, requiring businesses to disclose total prices upfront.

Set to take effect in April 2025, the rule could save consumers 53 million hours and $11 billion over a decade by eliminating surprise charges like “resort fees” at checkout.

While business groups, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, oppose the rule as overregulation, FTC Chair Lina Khan asserts its legality and bipartisan support.

The rule aligns with the Biden administration’s broader efforts to lower costs amid ongoing inflation.

  • wjrii@lemmy.world
    11·
    3 days ago

    Exactly. They can still do all the line item hijinks and market segmentation they want, they will just have to do it up front and not ignore the discretionary price that they are charging.

    The rule would not stop businesses from charging fees. But they would be required to list prices clearly from the onset and to display the total cost more prominently on a website than any other price.

    Businesses already get a huge break in the US by not having to advertise prices inclusive of taxes and government fees. They can at least tell us how much they’re choosing to charge us.