Back in August 2014, the nascent Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the workings of the energy market released its 4 theories of harm – the elements of the market that were perceived to encapsulate its biggest weaknesses and which were to be thoroughly investigated on their watch. Now, 6 months later, the CMA […]
CMA Findings – The missing link, engagement
The trickle of initial findings from the CMA, the Competitions and Markets Authority, and their investigation into the energy market has thrown up a number of interesting debating points, not all of which were entirely expected by those calling for the investigation. We’ve already talked about the alternative view of the CMA’s headline finding that […]
CMA Findings – An alternate view
The trickle of initial findings from the CMA, Competitions and Markets Authority investigation into the energy market has turned into a flow this week with the headlines unsurprisingly being grabbed by the more hyperbolic mutterings. The big one is the allegation that the CMA’s initial investigations have uncovered “significant evidence” that customers have been overcharged […]
CMA to Uncover the Cost of not Switching Energy Supplier
For all too long the energy industry has known a secret that they didn’t want anyone else to know, least of all their captive customers. The secret was so effective that it actually became the perfect (invisible) marketing tool: By allowing the public and media to believe that “all energy suppliers are the same” you create a […]
CMA Criticises Banks for Failing SMEs
Ahead of the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into the energy market, the CMA has concluded that another critical market for SME businesses has failed them. The CMA has ruled that HSBC, Barclays and RBS had breached or whose lack of awareness led to a potential breach of undertakings. HSBC were found to have breached […]
Which? Contribute to Energy Market CMA Investigation
In the latest in our series analysing the responses of key players to the CMA investigation into the UK energy market we focus on Which? and their proposals for the energy market. Which? the consumer group turned price comparison website have contributed their thoughts to the CMA investigation into the energy market by calling for a […]
CMA – The Market Commentators Part 2
In the latest in our series analysing the responses of key players to the CMA investigation into the UK energy market we again focus on the market commentators and their thoughts on the underlying problems of the energy market. Three main themes emanate from the comments: The market structure, the transfer price and energy company profits […]
Jail Time Beckons for Energy Market Fixers
Under new laws first proposed last October by Ed Davey Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change it will soon be a criminal offence to fix the price of energy at an artificial level or to use insider information to buy or sell energy on the wholesale market. In addition it would be an […]
Is CMA Energy Investigation ‘Independent’?
In the latest in our series of questions to the bosses, we look at a very topical question: “How independent will the CMA investigation into the energy market really be?” Business Juice: Firstly there is the prevalence of Big 6 energy company secondments into the regulator Ofgem. Secondly there is the right enshrined in the Memorandum […]
SSEs National Network Energy Charging
As part of SSEs response to the CMA investigation into the UK energy markets, the Big 6 energy supplier has proposed a controversial solution to the regional differences between energy prices. A common misconception, peddled not least by the energy regulator Ofgem, is that the Big 6 energy suppliers who operate ‘in area’ in their […]