Ec To Probe Retail Sector

摘要

The European Commission is to probe the EU's retail energy sector in 2009 after its second EU annual consumer markets Scoreboard report found that it was one of the most problematic and underperforming sectors, the EC said on February 2.rn"I have decided to make the [energy] retail market the target sector for investigation in 2009," EU consumer protection commissioner Meglena Kuneva told reporters in Brussels. Kuneva said she would focus on energy as it was where consumers spent most money -5.7% of their household budget.rnThe Scoreboard report analyzed prices, switching, satisfaction, complaints and safety for more than 20 goods and services. It found that for the energy sector fewer than two thirds of consumers are satisfied with their energy supplier, while about 60% had reported price increases. Only 3-4% saw price falls.rn"Despite this, energy is the sector where consumers are least likely to switch," said Kuneva. "Fewer than one in 10 energy consumers switched energy supplier in the last two years." Kuneva said that switching helped to improve services for all consumers, and that making it easier to switch should be made a policy priority in key retail sectors such as energy.rnThe follow-up energy probe is to examine how the retail market is working, including analyzing the comparability of offers, unfair commercial practices and billing. "The aim is to give consumers all the information they need to make informed decisions," said Kuneva.