Reliable comparison tools to allow consumers to find the best energy offer

Reliable price comparison tools for consumers using gas will soon become a reality thanks to consumer protections in the EU’s Gas Package.

Why it’s important

Following the liberalisation of energy markets, consumers now have a wide range of options to choose the best energy offer for them. Although this is a positive development for consumers, it’s also a challenge. In many countries, consumers need to choose among hundreds of suppliers, each with multiple offers.

Comparison tools allow consumers to navigate through energy markets, by comparing the offers available to them, making it easier for them to find the best deal.  

However, very few cover the entire national market.

What did BEUC do?

BEUC has been raising concerns with energy regulators and policymakers about this since the early 2010s.

In 2020, the European Commission announced a revision of the Directive on the functioning of gas markets, which also regulates comparison tools. To influence this process, BEUC collected evidence of shortcomings and best practices in the comparison tools market and provided recommendations to energy regulators and European lawmakers.

BEUC collected the evidence from a workshop organised on the topic and developed recommendations for the European institutions and launched an advocacy campaign.

The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on the revision of the Gas Directive in November 2023. This requires suppliers to provide information on their offers to at least one price comparison tool that covers the entire market and shall ensure the information is accurate and up to date.

Once this enters national law (by early 2026 at the latest), at least one comparison tool will cover the entire market in each EU country and competition will likely push competing comparison tools to improve.