3 Conclusions
27. Switching must be made easier in order to
engage consumers in the energy market and helping to foster competition
amongst suppliers and drive down energy bills. However, recent
reports of unscrupulous practices amongst some energy price comparison
websites have damaged consumer trust both in the websites themselves
and in the switching process more generally.
28. We recognise that the criticisms contained
in this report do not apply across all price comparison websites.
We hope that the recent debate on how price comparison websites
operate will provide all sites-good and bad-with an opportunity
to take stock of their operations and strive for greater transparency.
Some of these websites need to do much more to live up to the
claim that they are consumer champions.
29. As an immediate and essential first step towards
rebuilding confidence, any consumers who have been encouraged
to switch to tariffs that may not have been the cheapest or most
appropriate for their needs should be compensated. We urge the
price comparison websites to put in place a straightforward process
for consumers to seek compensation.
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