21 million Brits missing a trick on shopping for better energy bills
23 Apr 2014 11:51 AM
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
Research2 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.
Footnotes
- Source: Estimated using findings from mid-2012 GB population estimate from
the Office for National Statistics
- ICM interviewed a random sample
of 5084 adults aged 18+ via its online (n=4,081) and telephone (n=1003)
omnibuses between 28th February – 9th March 2014. Surveys were
conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile
of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its
rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
- ENDS -
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.