2022 ACER-CEER Market Monitoring Report - monitoring the retail markets in 2021
The ACER-CEER Energy Retail and Consumer Protection Volume of the Market Monitoring Report offers an overview of retail energy market developments across the European Union during 2021. Given the significance of the current energy crisis in Europe the Volume also includes some recent pricing information for 2022 which has been provided by VaasaETT.
It looks at:
- retail market performance, supplier concentration levels and the availability of gas and electricity offers to consumers;
- the price paid by energy consumers for both gas and electricity across the European Union; and
- the impact of high energy prices on household expenditure.
It issues a set of recommendations:
- to ensure that measures to assist consumers in response to the energy crisis are targeted at those most in need;
- to ensure that quality comparison tool websites are available to European energy consumers; and
- to ensure that National Regulatory Authorities (NRA) check the compliance of energy consumer bills with the common rules for the internal market for electricity.
Report
Some main findings:
- Retail energy prices started an upward trend at the end of 2021, these price increases to continue during 2022 and into 2023.
- Electricity and gas price increases will put a greater number of consumers at risk of energy poverty.
- Supplier bankruptcies have resulted in less choice in the market for energy consumers.
- Consumers have demonstrated a preference for fixed price contracts. However, suppliers will struggle to offer such contracts at competitive prices in 2022 and likely into 2023.
Webinar
Missed our webinar? Watch the recording here!