EDF Energy cuts prices “but only reveals loose change”
By Tony Watts - Editor - 01/05/2007
The energy giant EDF Energy has announced that it is cutting its gas prices by 10.2% with effect from 15 June 2007, but electricity customers will see no price cut, the company saying that it will remain second cheapest for electricity without making a cut.
However uSwitch.com, the independent, online comparison and switching service, has dismissed the reduction as “loose change, half hearted and more about strategic positioning than giving all its customers a fair deal”.
Ann Robinson, Consumer Policy Director at uSwitch.com, says: “EDF Energy was under a lot of pressure to cut its prices and this duress shows in the half hearted attempt it has made today. It will now be second cheapest supplier for dual fuel, but it has only shunted up one place from most expensive to second most expensive for gas, leaving customers asking why it couldn’t do more.”
“Today’s move seems more about appeasing the regulators, making a peace offering to customers and buying itself some time and space. While second place for dual fuel is fairly respectable, you have to dig a little deeper to see how it is treating its gas-only customers. This double-digit decrease is leaving those customers on one of the least competitive gas prices on the market.
“Now that EDF Energy has finally shown its hand and only revealed loose change, customers should take this as the green light to continue shopping around for a better deal.”
If you would like to find out if you could reduce your utility bills, click on the uSwitch link below.