Moneysupermarket.com in Ofgem probe

CHESTER-based Moneysupermarket.com has provided information to energy market regulator Ofgem in its probe into whether two or more companies which provide a supporting service to the energy industry had breached competition law.

The online price comparison platform, headquartered at Ewloe, Deeside, has confirmed it passed the information to help the Ofgem decide whether to include it in the investigation.

From October, British energy companies are legally obliged to tell customers about their cheapest deals, event if they are sold under a different brand name.

They already have to reveal their cheapest tariffs, but there has been widespread criticism from consumer groups because companies have not publicised even lower-cost deals sold through third party organisations, also known as “white label” deals.

A statement from Moneysupermarket.com said: “Ofgem has required the company to provide information in connection with this investigation, pursuant to a notice issued under section 26 of the Competition Act 1998.

“Ofgem is gathering this information to establish whether to include the Company as a subject of its investigation.”

Public trust in the big six energy providers – EDF , SSE, Centrica, E.ON, RWE npower and Scottish Power, which control 95% of the energy market – slumped after years of rising energy bills.

Last year, Ofgem referred the sector to the Competition and Markets Authority for investigation as energy bills were rising faster than inflation.

Final conclusions of the probe are not expected until November or December.