{"id":102005,"date":"2025-01-19T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-19T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=102005"},"modified":"2025-01-19T01:42:36","modified_gmt":"2025-01-19T01:42:36","slug":"octopus-energy-british-gas-uks-top-supplier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/octopus-energy-british-gas-uks-top-supplier\/","title":{"rendered":"Octopus Energy Overtakes British Gas as the UK\u2019s Top Supplier \u2013 What It Means for Your Bills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Octopus Energy, founded in 2015 by CEO Greg Jackson, now serves more than 12.9 million household accounts<\/strong>, representing nearly one in four British households. This achievement ends British Gas\u2019s dominance, which began with the privatisation of the energy sector in 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors Behind Octopus Energy’s Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tech-driven efficiency<\/strong>: CEO Greg Jackson credits the company’s investment in technology for enabling “rapid growth and outstanding service.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Market turbulence<\/strong>: The collapse of over half of the UK\u2019s small and medium-sized suppliers following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine left millions of households in need of a reliable provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Customer-centric approach<\/strong>: Octopus topped the latest Which? Survey, scoring 74%<\/strong> and earning five stars for customer service, while British Gas scored only 61%<\/strong>, with just two stars for value for money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rise of Octopus Energy<\/a> has been fuelled by a combination of innovation, market disruption, and exceptional customer service:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Market turbulence<\/strong>: The collapse of over half of the UK\u2019s small and medium-sized suppliers following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine left millions of households in need of a reliable provider.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Customer-centric approach<\/strong>: Octopus topped the latest, Which? Survey, scoring 74%<\/strong> and earning five stars for customer service, while British Gas scored only 61%<\/strong>, with just two stars for value for money.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Tech-driven efficiency<\/strong>: CEO Greg Jackson credits the company’s investment in technology for enabling “rapid growth and outstanding service.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
British Gas’s Struggles Amidst Profitability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Despite reporting \u00a3750 million in profits in 2023<\/strong>, British Gas has faced mounting criticism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Metric<\/th> Octopus Energy<\/th> British Gas<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Customer satisfaction<\/td> 74% (5 stars)<\/td> 61% (2 stars)<\/td><\/tr>
Value for money<\/td> High<\/td> Low (2 stars)<\/td><\/tr>
Complaint resolution<\/td> Efficient<\/td> Below average<\/td><\/tr>
CEO compensation<\/td> Not disclosed<\/td> \u00a38.2 million<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
British Gas<\/a>\u2019s underperformance in areas like smart meter rollouts, complaint handling, and value for money has left many questioning its ability to remain competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Octopus\u2019s Global Expansion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While reshaping the UK market, Octopus Energy<\/a> has extended its reach to 26 countries<\/strong> and now serves 9 million customers worldwide<\/strong>. Dan Morris of Cornwall Insight described the milestone as the “biggest development in the domestic retail energy market since privatisation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fixed Deals and the Energy Price Cap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fixed-rate energy deals have started to return, providing options that are slightly below the price cap, which is projected to increase by 3% in April<\/strong>. Consumer groups are urging households to consider switching providers to secure better rates and improved service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recommendations for Energy Consumers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n
Evaluate customer service<\/strong>: Firms like Octopus Energy excel in this area, while others, including British Gas and Ovo Energy<\/a>, underperform.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Compare fixed deals<\/strong>: With fluctuating price caps, fixed-rate plans may offer cost stability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Act on dissatisfaction<\/strong>: Emily Seymour, of Which? Advises, “If people are unhappy with their provider, we’d recommend shopping around… and switching to a supplier with better customer service.”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The shift in leadership underscores the growing importance of innovation, service quality, and adaptability<\/strong> in an increasingly competitive and regulated market. For consumers, this transformation presents an opportunity to demand better deals and higher standards from their providers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Octopus Energy has surged past British Gas to become the UK\u2019s largest energy supplier, shaking up a market long dominated by traditional giants. With millions of households switching, the shift signals a new era in customer service and innovation. What\u2019s driving this transformation?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":102013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102005"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102025,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005\/revisions\/102025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Metric<\/th>	Octopus Energy<\/th>	British Gas<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Customer satisfaction<\/td>	74% (5 stars)<\/td>	61% (2 stars)<\/td><\/tr>
Value for money<\/td>	High<\/td>	Low (2 stars)<\/td><\/tr>
Complaint resolution<\/td>	Efficient<\/td>	Below average<\/td><\/tr>
CEO compensation<\/td>	Not disclosed<\/td>	\u00a38.2 million<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n British Gas<\/a>\u2019s underperformance in areas like smart meter rollouts, complaint handling, and value for money has left many questioning its ability to remain competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Octopus\u2019s Global Expansion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n While reshaping the UK market, Octopus Energy<\/a> has extended its reach to 26 countries<\/strong> and now serves 9 million customers worldwide<\/strong>. Dan Morris of Cornwall Insight described the milestone as the “biggest development in the domestic retail energy market since privatisation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fixed Deals and the Energy Price Cap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Fixed-rate energy deals have started to return, providing options that are slightly below the price cap, which is projected to increase by 3% in April<\/strong>. Consumer groups are urging households to consider switching providers to secure better rates and improved service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recommendations for Energy Consumers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n Evaluate customer service<\/strong>: Firms like Octopus Energy excel in this area, while others, including British Gas and Ovo Energy<\/a>, underperform.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Compare fixed deals<\/strong>: With fluctuating price caps, fixed-rate plans may offer cost stability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Act on dissatisfaction<\/strong>: Emily Seymour, of Which? Advises, “If people are unhappy with their provider, we’d recommend shopping around… and switching to a supplier with better customer service.”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n The shift in leadership underscores the growing importance of innovation, service quality, and adaptability<\/strong> in an increasingly competitive and regulated market. For consumers, this transformation presents an opportunity to demand better deals and higher standards from their providers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Octopus Energy has surged past British Gas to become the UK\u2019s largest energy supplier, shaking up a market long dominated by traditional giants. With millions of households switching, the shift signals a new era in customer service and innovation. What\u2019s driving this transformation?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":102013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102005"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102025,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102005\/revisions\/102025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}