 Energywatch says customers should consider a switch |
An industry watchdog has urged ScottishPower customers to consider switching supplier after the company announced a surge in profits. Energywatch Scotland said the company, which saw its half-yearly underlying profits jump 17% to �393m, was taking customers "for a ride".
It said ScottishPower was "taking advantage" of customer loyalty and increasing the basic cost of electricity.
However, the company said most of the group's profits were from its United States operations and Scottish customers were being treated fairly.
 |  Profits announced today were from across our business  |
John Hanlon, chairman of energywatch Scotland, said: "There is no doubt that this sharp increase in profits is partly due to ScottishPower's policy of taking advantage of their loyal customers who have not changed supplier. "These customers are paying significantly more for their electricity than ScottishPower's newer customers in England.
"Scottish customers are being taken for a ride in order to boost ScottishPower's profits.
"Almost half of all Scottish consumers still get their electricity from ScottishPower and I urge those customers to vote with their feet and shop around for a better deal from a cheaper supplier."
A ScottishPower spokesman said: "Profits announced today were from across our business.
"The division that serves Scottish customers in the highly competitive UK retail market made �7m in the last six months.
"However, across the group we invested �387m in the same period allowing us to improve services and protect Scottish jobs."
The spokesperson said customers who take gas and electricity were being offered a "very competitive" deal and improvements in customer service had attracted 250,000 new customers in six months.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
