New tariffs put main energy players back on top

Gareth Kloet, head on Energy comments "In a move suggesting that the Big Six are still more concerned with competing with each other and are not feeling the heat from the up and coming companies challenging them on the best buy tables, Scottish Power has released a new table topping tariff today.

There has been a lot of movement at the top of the best-buy tables this week as the Big six fight for poll position. On the back of Eon's change to the discount structure of their FixOnline 3 tariff yesterday, Scottish Power have responded with the new Online Energy Saver 7, best buy in five of 14 regions, making them the cheapest in the UK, on average, of the big players at £975 per year.

The new tariff, open to direct debit and online customers only, is 3% cheaper than its standard plan. It beats competition from small player OVO but ignores the threat of First Utility, who remain the cheapest in 9 regions, and the cheapest overall at £967.

This can only be good news to savvy customers willing to shop around to get the best price, but in order for the prices to keep falling, consumers need to keep responding. Keeping abreast of the best tariffs indicates to the big providers that their market share is in jeopardy if they don't bring their prices in line with the new tariffs available from suppliers like OVO and First Utility."