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New 'group deal' pledges 12% savings on electricity in France
This equates to around a €200 annual saving for an average family home. Electricity rates will rise this winter as the price shield is withdrawn
A consumer group is offering a new group offer for electricity contracts that could save people up to 12% on their bills this year alone, with prices frozen for two years.
The deal, which was launched today October 26, is proposed by consumer group UFC-que choisir and Octopus Energy and is limited to 150,000 contracts. It will run until November 15, 2023.
It includes a launch price that is 12% lower than the current EDF regulated market price for October 2023 of 0.2276 €/kWh.
In practice, this means that a household using 10,000kWh a year would save €266 on current prices.
UFC-Que Choisir says the deal, which is for renewable energy, will also help to stimulate “small producers of renewable energy” in France.
Are electricity prices rising in France?
Electricity prices have risen by 30% in the past year alone, despite the government’s price shield, or bouclier tarifaire, which continues to protect people from the high prices seen elsewhere in Europe.
The price shield means that the state is essentially subsidising on average 37% of people’s electricity bill by limiting the price increases of ongoing contracts to 15%.
In July, the then-Minister of Public Accounts Gabriel Attal announced that this protection will be withdrawn “progressively” by the end of 2024.
The state regulated prices are projected to rise by a further 10% in February 2024.
Read more: Electricity bills to rise in France but officials clash over amount
How much has the price of electricity risen?
What are the advantages of the group deal?
UFC-Que Choisir says the deal means that its partner Octopus Energy can forgo expenses linked to commercialising its activity, which ensures a lower price.
The consumer group will also help ensure legal protection for adherents, in addition to the standard protection for electricity contracts, including the right to change to another supplier - or back to the state regulated tariff - at any time.
The deal also does not preclude people from using the government’s chèque énergie to pay for electricity.
Read more: How can I use my French chèque énergie gas or electricity vouchers?
How can I apply for the deal?
You can compare the UFC-Que Choisir deal to your current contract using the calculator here, with no obligation.
The terms and conditions of the deal, as well as frequently asked questions, are available on the UFC-Que Choisir website.
You apply using the same website. It is free to change your electricity contract.
UFC-Que Choisir receives a €12 fee for each new contract.
“It is an attractive offer”, the French energy ombudsman told news agency AFP. “But there are other offers available that are also lower than the regulated price.”
You can compare current electricity offers using the government’s comparison tool available here, however, this will not include the UFC-Que Choisir deal, which is a special group offer.
Only houses that are supplied by Enedis can apply, which rules out people in Corsica, Strasbourg, Metz, Bordeaux and Grenoble.
Read more
Electricity supply may be halved for 200,000 French homes in trial
See how France’s electricity prices compare with others in Europe
Electricity bills to rise in France but officials clash over amount
