Summary information

Study title

Consumer Energy Supplier Switching: Data from 'The Big Switch' and Subsequent Surveys, 2012-2014

Creator

Jeon, J. Young, University of East Anglia, Norwich Business School
Moniche, A., Universidad de Malaga (Spain)
Loomes, G., University of Warwick, Warwick Business School
Deller, D., University of East Anglia, Norwich Business School
Waddams, C., University of East Anglia
Giulietti, M., University of Warwick, Warwick Business School, Centre for Management under Regulation

Study number / PID

7876 (UKDA)

10.5255/UKDA-SN-7876-1 (DOI)

Data access

Open

Series

Not available

Abstract

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.This dataset represents a second wave follow-up survey carried out in 2014, investigating the minimum required saving necessary for an individual to be willing to switch energy supplier, along with the factors determining this minimum required saving for a household to switch energy supplier. The data forms part of a larger collection of individual-level data resulting from a collective energy supplier switching exercise (initiated by the 38 Degrees organisation) known as 'The Big Switch', in the UK residential energy market (2012); and two waves of internet based follow-up surveys (2013 and 2014). The data from the collective switching exercise relates to around 111,000 participants who had to decide as part of The Big Switch whether or not to switch energy suppliers in spring 2012. Uniquely, the project team observed the offers made to those who did not switch as well as to those who did switch. In addition to this commercial data obtained from Which? Limited, two waves of follow-up surveys were carried out whereby subsets of participants in the collective switching exercise were emailed a questionnaire to complete. Around 15,000 people completed the questionnaire in the first survey wave in spring 2013. The purpose of this first survey wave was to collect extensive information on household characteristics, engagement with the energy market and context surrounding individuals' switching decision in 'The Big Switch', with individuals who had one or two existing energy suppliers. The aim was to combine data from this survey wave with information from 'The Big Switch' itself to allow the investigation of the determinants of supplier switching in the UK energy market. Around 11,000 people completed the questionnaire in the second survey wave in spring 2014. The purpose of this second survey wave was to investigate the minimum required saving necessary for an individual to be willing to switch...
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Methodology

Data collection period

01/03/2012 - 01/03/2014

Country

Great Britain

Time dimension

Cross-sectional (one-time) study

Analysis unit

Individuals
Families/households
National

Universe

UK households surveyed during 2012-2014.

Sampling procedure

Simple random sample

Kind of data

Numeric

Data collection mode

Web-based survey

Funding information

Grant number

RES-578-28-0002

Access

Publisher

UK Data Service

Publication year

2016

Terms of data access

  The Data Collection is to be made available to any user without the requirement for registration for download/access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.

Related publications

Not available