21 MILLION BRITS MISSING A TRICK ON SHOPPING FOR BETTER ENERGY BILLS
22 Apr 2014 02:33 PM
New campaign empowers the nation to start ‘energy shopping’
- 33% of Brits are concerned about their energy
bills
- Yet 43% don’t prioritise shopping around for a better
energy deal
- ‘Be An Energy Shopper’ campaign set to get
the nation bargain hunting for a better deal on their energy
- It’s never been easier to get a better deal for your
energy and you could save around £200 a year
Research out today reveals Brit households shop around for
everything in life, from holidays and insurance to gadgets and clothes - yet
don’t place the same level of importance on shopping for their energy
bills. Shockingly, almost half (43%) of Brits admit they don’t prioritise
‘energy shopping’ to find the best deal, despite the fact that it
could save them precious pounds.
Previously, over half (53%) of baffled Brits said they have been confused by
energy tariffs, and a third (33%) say their energy bills have been a concern.
But not anymore - recent reforms have resulted in a simpler, clearer and fairer
energy market which means finding a better deal has never been easier.
What’s more, as part of the ‘Be An Energy Shopper’ campaign,
an easy guide has been created - www.goenergyshopping.co.uk, to
help cut through the confusion previously associated with comparing energy
tariffs and in turn help people to start shopping around for their energy. The
new website provides consumers with the know-how to check existing energy deals
so they can get a better tariff.
The survey, commissioned to support the launch of ‘Be An Energy
Shopper’ campaign, also reveals that the nation is currently overlooking
the benefits of being an energy shopper with almost half (45%) of Brit bill
payers saying they don’t feel they could save much money and one in four
(24%) saying they thought shopping around for energy would be too much
‘hassle’.
Dermot Nolan, Chief Executive at Ofgem says, “We shop and
compare prices for many things in life, yet we often don’t think to do
the same when it comes to our energy bills, even when we could be saving around
£200. Previously, people found it difficult to compare
tariffs and the process too time consuming but the recent
reforms have changed things for the better. With the introduction of
‘Be An Energy Shopper’ it has never been easier to go
energy shopping and get a better deal on your gas and
electricity.”
Secretary of State for Energy, at the Department of Energy and Climate
Change, Edward Davey said: “Making the switch is easier than ever
before, and the ‘Be an energy shopper’ campaign gives consumers
practical advice on how to shop around and get the best deal for their energy
use. Having made the switch myself, I would encourage anyone who hasn't
already done so to check whether their current supplier is giving them the best
deal - and if it isn’t, switch.
"We're working to make the energy market work better for
consumers - we’ve trebled the number of suppliers since 2010, made
people’s bills easier to understand, reduced the complexity of tariffs
and promoted competition through initiatives such as collective switching. We
want consumers to get the benefits of more competition.”
Konnie Huq, TV presenter and spokesperson for the ‘Be an energy
shopper campaign’ adds: “As a wife and mother of two,
it’s really important to me that I’m constantly getting value for
money and energy is no exception to the rule. I personally love a good deal and
this new website - www.goenergyshopping.co.uk
– is an easy guide that will hopefully give people the confidence to
get a better deal on their energy bills.”
ENERGY IS THE TOP ITEM WHERE BRITS FEEL THEY SPEND MORE THAN THEY
WOULD DO, IF THEY SHOPPED AROUND:
1: Energy (16%)
2: Weekly Groceries (13%)
3: Presents & Gifts (10%)
4: Broadband (10%)
5: Holidays and Breaks (10%)
…SO WHY DON’T WE GO ENERGY SHOPPING?
Visit www.goenergyshopping.co.uk for an
easy guide on how to
shop around for a better energy deal.
For more information on the ‘Be An Energy Shopper’
campaign, please contact: Ofgem press office on the following
numbers:
Chris Lock: 020 7901 7225
Felicity Beverley: 0207 901 3858
Howard Rhoades: 0203 263 9629
Out of hours media contact number: 07766 511470
Notes to Editors:
REGIONAL SHOPPER BREAKDOWN
- One in five (20%) people living in London, Wales and the South East
feel they overspend on their energy
- Residents in Scotland and London are the least likely to prioritise
shopping around for energy with 50% missing a trick when it comes to bargaining
for better deals
- A whopping 60% of people in the North East find energy tariffs
confusing, as well as 58% in the South East, and 57% in the North West
- More generally, Londoners are the savviest shoppers when it comes
to bargain hunting and save an average of £50 per month, closely followed
by the Welsh residents who save £44, and those in the North East who save
£43
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
When analysing previous attitudes towards the energy market, in-depth
consumer interviews found comparable results to the statistics detailed above,
with respondents noting how the energy market had been a
“minefield” to navigate and citing stories of the difficulties and
obstacles previously involved when looking to switch energy suppliers. Overall
the former process was considered as unnecessarily difficult and sometimes even
detrimental to customers.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT www.goenergyshopping.co.uk
The website includes:
- New tools to help people compare the different tariffs
- A glossary explaining the language used on bills
- Links to other useful sites
- A downloadable guide which visitors can print off and read at their
leisure, or pass on to family members who don’t have internet access
About the ‘Be An Energy Shopper Campaign’
The ‘Be An Energy Shopper’ campaign has been launched by Ofgem
in response to consumer demand for impartial advice on how to compare tariffs
in the gas and electricity markets. An easy guide has been set up at www.goenergyshopping.co.uk
to show how the recent changes to the energy market can help them to compare
tariffs and get a better deal on their gas and electricity bills.
About Ofgem
Ofgem is the GB energy regulator. Everything we do is aimed at making a
positive difference for consumers. For more information on Ofgem please see our
website on: www.ofgem.gov.uk