ACM: ‘Energieconsument moet vaker van leverancier wisselen’

24 juli 2015 – Te veel energieconsumenten blijven bij hun vertrouwde energieleverancier, terwijl ze beter af zouden zijn als ze vaker zouden wisselen. Dat benadrukt de ACM opnieuw.

Anita Vegter, bestuurslid van Autoriteit Consument & Markt, hield eind juni een speech op de 15e International Association of Consumer Law Conference (UvA) over ‘‘Public Enforcement of Consumer Law on Top of a Private Foundation’. De speech is gisteren door de ACM gepubliceerd.
Vegter erkende tegenover het internationale gehoor dat de Nederlandse energieconsument vaak te lang bij dezelfde energieleverancier klant blijft. ‘ACM ran campaigns such as “If you snooze, you lose”, to make consumers aware of the option of switching providers. ACM looked into consumers’ switching behaviour in energy and health insurances. It turned out that many consumers are satisfied with their current plans. That is why they do not consider switching. However, by not switching, consumers may actually be worse off in the end. ACM therefore used this campaign to stimulate consumers to at least find out what plan meets their current needs.’
Maar ACM gaf ook voorlichting aan de energieleveranciers. ‘ ACM is not only responsible for consumer protection, but also for energy regulation. Consumer rights follow from generic consumer protection laws, but also from specific energy regulation. Energy companies found it confusing what information requirements they have to comply with. ACM therefore published a document ‘Provision of information in the consumer energy market’. This explains exactly what information must be given to consumers, based on the Gas Act, the Electricity Act, the Directive concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices (2005/29/EG) and the Directive on consumer rights (2011/83/EU and 93/13/EEC).

Die dubbele benadering, van consument én leverancier, is kenmerkend voor ACM. Vegter: ‘This approach contributes to well-functioning markets, to orderly and transparent market processes and to fair treatment of consumers.’
‘The benefits of the Dutch system are:

  • Consumers and companies take their responsibilities, supported by the private foundation. Only if there is a collective violation which cannot be solved by the private foundation, ACM as the public authority is there to act swiftly and firmly;
  • ACM targets problems from a broader perspective: the effect is central, the instruments follow. This way, ACM’s actions have the most impact.’

 

Bronnen
ACM, 23 juli 2015: Speech Anita Vegter “Toezicht op consumentenrechten en het Private Fundament” (pdf, 16 pag.)

ACM-document
Informatievoorziening op de consumentenmarkt voor energie (PDF – 472 KB) (Welke informatie moet de leverancier aan de de klant geven?)

Auteur: Redactie

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