Payment options at summer festivals have improved, but many events still rely on confusing cashless systems and charge high fees to refund unused credit, consumer group Testachats said on Thursday.
The organisation visited 13 festivals in recent weeks and found that many still require visitors to pay using an event-specific digital currency loaded onto a wristband or card.
Testachats opposes these systems, especially when the exchange rate is unclear or difficult to convert into euros. It cited examples including Tomorrowland, where 10.5 Pearls cost €20, and Les Ardentes, where one Flamme is worth €1.33.
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Following earlier criticism, food and drink stalls now generally display prices in euros as well, Testachats said. But its spokesperson, Julie Frère, questioned why festivals continue to use separate virtual currencies instead of charging directly in euros, as happens at Paradise City and Ronquières.
Some festivals offer more straightforward payment options. At Francofolies de Spa and Brosella, visitors can pay at almost all stalls by card, mobile phone or cash.
Live is Live also accepts electronic payments, but festivalgoers who want to pay in cash must first collect a payment card from the information point.
Testachats said another drawback of prepaid wristbands and cards is that visitors often have to make several calculations to load the exact amount they need. While Rock Werchter allows any amount of Coins to be added, Graspop, which also belongs to the Live Nation group, does not, it said.
At Tomorrowland, Pearls can only be loaded in blocks of 10.5, worth €20. At Dour Festival, visitors must top up by at least one Douro.
At Les Ardentes, Flammes can be loaded through the app from €4, or three Flammes, while physical top-up points allow only one Flamme to be added at a time. Testachats also said festivalgoers automatically lose one Flamme, worth €1.33, to activate the system.
The group also criticised the cost of reclaiming unused credit after a festival. It said visitors who fail to reduce their balance to zero sometimes have to pay to recover their remaining money.
Although Belgium’s Economic Inspection allows administrative fees for such refunds, Testachats said the charges vary widely, ranging from €1 to €4. It questioned whether fees at the higher end can still be justified.
Testachats said it has passed all its findings on to the Economic Inspection.
