Consumer group in gas price deal

DOMESTIC gas users could soon be saving up to 13% on their bills as consumer watchdog UFC Que Choisir launches its own cheap power tariff to rival industry leader GDF Suez.

The consumer group has set up a website to promote its new “Gaz moins cher ensemble” (Cheaper gas together) tariff and allow users to switch suppliers easily.

It says there is not enough competition in the energy market to force down prices and wants to gather potential customers and use massive purchasing power to bargain for a better tariff with an alternative supplier.

Once it knows how many people sign up it will finalise a deal to benefit customers and guarantee a minimum 13% saving. The average annual saving will be between €124 and €156 for those households using gas for heating.

Gas users have until November 25 to sign up on the “Gaz moins cher ensemble” website, with the eventual tariff being based on the number who sign up. The site opened yesterday and by this morning there were nearly 40,000 subscribers. The offer will be limited to 100,000.

GDF Suez offers gas at a regulated price set by the government and the energy regulator, but prices have risen by nearly 80% since 2005. Between 2012 and 2013 the tariff rose by 2.8%.

Que Choisir contacted gas suppliers directly over the summer to get them to tender for a service with lower tariffs, tighter conditions than the law demands and where Que Choisir would be involved in any conflict.

Lampiris France, a subsidiary of a Belgian supplier, has been revealed as the main candidate and it has guaranteed a 13% discount on the regulated October price per kW/h with a higher discount possible depending on the number of subscribers.