Insight

Consumer Energy Report: Cooking up a storm?

Opinium has released its 2018 annual barometer tracking consumer perceptions of the UK energy market. It has revealed that despite British Gas announcing it is to increase dual fuel energy bills this still wouldn’t prompt most customers to switch to a better deal – even though†four in five people (82%) stated the biggest priority for selecting a provider is cost.

As in previous years, British Gas continues to stand aloft in our Brand Strength Index, due to its superior prominence in the category, with E.ON and EDF in second and third place respectively. However, Ovo continues to bubble up, coming in at fourth place last year, above Big Six members SSE, Scottish Power and npower.

Some other key findings from the report are:

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  • Challenger brands are starting to place pressure on the Big Six?s dominance due to their unique offerings
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  • Consumers remain passive when it comes to finding a better energy deal with less than a third (30%) stating they are likely to switch provider in the next 12 months
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  • Over a quarter (27%) of those who do not have all of the clean energy technologies are likely to buy a clean energy product in the next 3 years, with electric or hybrid electric vehicles the most common potential purchase
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  • As in previous years, renewables remain attractive to consumers,†but ultimately it boils down to cost and many consumers aren?t†yet willing to pay a premium for renewable tariffs

Read the full report here: