Ohh, yes – it’s time to ‘Challenge, Sir Fred’ again

Why has Tesco Personal Finance set up a price comparison site and excluded Directline.com, asks Peopleschampion.com chairman Jim Spowart?

“It’s interesting to see that Tesco Personal Finance – part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group – is, at last, launching its comparison site. It appears they are trying to play catch-up. But I think we should be challenging Sir Fred Goodwin, the Group Chief Executive of RBS: by asking: “Why are you not comparing all of your company’s products?”

Directline.com is not being included in the new RBS-backed site created for Tesco.

“I do wonder if RBS and Tesco think the great British public are just so stupid that they will flock to a supermarket finance site which doesn’t offer a comprehensive range of insurance deals,” says Mr Spowart.

“What is the point of launching a new site with only 30 insurance brands on its panel, a quarter of which are owned by RBS. Tesco currently offers one of the least comprehensive services,” says Mr Spowart.

Peopleschampion.com, set up in 2006, compares more than 75 per cent of the market and works with Moneysupermarket.com and uSwitch, two of the UK’s leading price independent comparison sites. It is an independent site owned by SMG plc.

“Price comparisons have come of age and now dominate the market. This has been great news for the consumer. I can only think Tesco and Royal Bank are doing this now to muddy the market place because they have missed the boat,” he said.

“I think we still need to Challenge Sir Fred – why allow Tesco to create a price comparison site and not include Directline.com, one of your own brands? And why allow Directline to run such a vitriolic advertising campaign against giving people full consumer choice, then launching your own site. It doesn’t make sense, does it?”