Rising prices, growing climate awareness
One in six consumers in Germany has changed electricity providers in the past 12 months. In a survey of more than 1,000 people aged 18 and over in Germany conducted at the beginning of 2023, 17 percent said they had decided on a new provider in the last year.
The following applies: the younger the respondents, the lower their loyalty to the old provider: of those under 30, almost one in four (23 percent) have changed their electricity provider in the last 12 months. Among 30 to 49 year olds it was 21 percent. Among those aged 50 to 64 it was significantly lower at 15 percent and among those over 65 at 12 percent.
“Competition on the electricity market has become greater in recent years and has been further accelerated by the energy crisis. Digital offers and platforms make it easy for consumers to switch providers. Conditions and prices can be viewed at a glance and a digital reminder service alerts you when the opportunity to change is right.”
Bitkom Managing Director Dr. Bernhard Rohleder
Compare online
Online comparison portals now play the biggest role when it comes to deciding on a new electricity provider. Almost two thirds (63 percent) of those who switched to a new provider last year obtained information in advance via portals such as Check24, Verivox, Switch Pirates and others. 56 percent also sought recommendations from friends, acquaintances and family.
In a similar survey a year ago, personal recommendations were ahead of the comparison portals. 40 percent read test reports from Stiftung Warentest before switching and a third (34 percent) visited the energy supplier's website. 22 percent found out about the topic through newspaper articles and the same number through brochures or brochures.
Growing climate awareness
The reasons for switching providers are primarily the price and also growing climate awareness. 71 percent switched because the new tariff was cheaper. For a third (32 percent), a switching bonus was motivation and 28 percent regularly change electricity providers anyway to save money. More than half (59 percent) switched because the new provider offered green electricity tariffs.
But transparency also plays an important role: 26 percent justify their switch by saying that the new provider provides more information on conditions, prices and consumption. 18 percent cite the reason that the new provider provides a smartphone app through which the details of the contract and consumption can be viewed. A year ago this was only an important criterion for 6 percent, but the value has tripled.
“There is a great desire among the population for more transparency about their own energy consumption. The lower the supplier's offers, the easier it is for people to find their way through the jungle of tariffs and prices.”
Bitkom Managing Director Dr. Bernhard Rohleder
Source:
BITKOM
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