Family association calls for simplified energy tariffs to make bills clearer and cheaper

The energy market should be simplified, family association Gezinsbond says, as a survey shows that a quarter of households in Flanders never compare energy suppliers. That can lead to an annual price difference of 300 euros. The association has therefore called for a simplified offer of tariffs.

A total of 1,040 Flemish households took part in the survey. A third only check their water and energy meters when the grid operator asks them to do so. Anyone looking for ​ a new energy contract can choose from 16 suppliers, each of which offers different contracts. The choice is too great and the bills too complex, according to Gezinsbond.

The capacity tariff - a new pricing system that looks at peak consumption - for example, has encouraged households to spread their consumption since 1 January. According to the survey, only half have an idea of the impact on their bill. More than a quarter (26 per cent) do not take it into account at all.

Gezinsbond is calling for a simpler offer. "Impose boundaries within which a supplier can play with various market parameters," it said in a press release on Friday. It is also calling for an affordable base rate for both water and energy, as already exists for the water bill.

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