uSwitch.com: ScottishPower finally cuts prices

ScottishPower has finally cut its prices by up to 16.5% for gas and up to 6% for electricity.

However, this is a ‘cloak and dagger’ price decrease, according to uSwitch.com, the independent online comparison and switching service, which understands that customers who pay by cash or cheque will only see a 5% price cut for gas and nothing for electricity. If they pay promptly they will receive a sweetener of £50. For these customers ScottishPower will remain the 6th most expensive provider.

The move follows hard on the heels of EDF Energy’s announcement earlier this morning, but both providers are choosing to delay implementation until 15th June.

Geoff Slaughter, Energy Product Manager at uSwitch.com, says: “ScottishPower’s move – the second announcement by a provider today – is no surprise. Cages were being rattled by the regulator and consumers were starting to show their teeth – the pressure on both EDF Energy and ScottishPower to relent and cut their prices was immense.

“The cuts are very run-of-the-mill and smack of cherry picking with direct debit customers being favoured way over and above those paying by cash or cheque. They are not creating any new market champions and are not setting ScottishPower apart from the pack. But where it is differentiating itself from the other Big 6 is through the launch of its Savings Challenge where it will encourage the 80% of its customers who are not on the best deal to make some simple changes to ensure that they pay less. This is a consumer-friendly move and ScottishPower’s honesty in admitting how many customers are not getting the best deal is both breathtaking and to be applauded.”