In a damning annual assessment of the UK's energy sector, consumer champion Which? has named Scottish Power as the country's worst supplier for customer service. The findings, based on feedback from almost 12,000 customers, placed several of Britain's largest energy firms at the bottom of the performance league table.
The Worst Performers in the Energy Sector
Scottish Power received the lowest score for customer satisfaction in the comprehensive study. It was closely followed by British Gas and EDF Energy, which occupied the other spots at the foot of the rankings. The consumer group's assessment also found that Scottish Power tied with EDF for the second-lowest score in Which?'s own evaluation of customer service standards.
Other major suppliers fared poorly, with So Energy ranking fourth from bottom. Ovo Energy finished fifth from the bottom, while E.ON Next was tied with Ecotricity and Fuse Energy as the sixth worst-performing suppliers in the UK.
Suppliers Question the Findings
The three lowest-ranked companies have challenged the validity of the Which? survey, pointing to conflicting data from other industry monitors. A spokesperson for Scottish Power argued that the Citizens Advice scorecard, which uses a "much more robust and transparent methodology", shows the company delivers sustained, high-quality service.
British Gas highlighted that Ofgem's latest satisfaction data places it second-highest among main suppliers, following a more than 20% annual reduction in complaints over the past two years. The company acknowledged there is "always more to do" to improve. EDF Energy was approached for comment on the rankings.
Which? Recommended Providers Outshine the Rest
In contrast to the poor performers, four energy suppliers earned coveted "Which? Recommended Provider" status for excellence. Topping the table overall was E (Gas and Electricity), a Birmingham-based firm serving over 300,000 customers.
They were joined by Octopus Energy, 100Green, and Sainsbury's Energy. Octopus Energy, now the UK's largest supplier, secured second place overall and has held its recommended status for an impressive nine consecutive years.
Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy's founder and CEO, remarked: "This isn't about scale – it's about consistently focusing on our customers to deliver value, service and innovation." Emily Seymour, Which?'s energy editor, summarised the stark divide: "While four suppliers are outshining the competition, some big firms – including Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas – are letting their customers down."
