EON calls for energy bill rule change which '93 per cent of customers want'

New energy bill rules could mean existing customers get the same best deals as newbies. A new survey found that nearly 93% of UK consumers believe energy suppliers should not restrict their best deals to new customers, amid Ofgem's consideration of lifting the ban on acquisition-only tariffs.

E.ON Next commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey and 93 per cent of respondents believe energy suppliers should not limit their best deals to new customers. Additionally, 82 per cent indicated they would trust their supplier less if the best deals were offered only to new customers.

Chris Norbury, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: “It’s clear from this research that customers want the ban to remain in place, it also illustrates the concern I have that removing the ban undermines customers’ trust. Small scale tweaks to the energy system do not support vulnerable customers and won’t help decarbonise our energy system at pace.

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“What we need is a longer term package that brings together price protection for those who need it most and incentivises innovation that helps make energy affordable and sustainable for everyone.” The nationwide polling finds majority of consumers agree with E.ON Next position that energy companies must not restrict access to their best deals, and would have less trust in their supplier if it only offered its best deals to new customers.

The YouGov research was carried out Friday 17 and Saturday 18 May 2024 and is a nationally representative s ample of 2,000 respondents. Mr Norbury, E.ON UK Chief Executive, said: “We commissioned some research with YouGov to see what customers think, the results were compelling.

"93% thought suppliers should not be able to restrict their best deals to new customers only. 82% of the customers YouGov surveyed said they would have less trust in their supplier if it only offered its best deals to new customers."