Power saving claim cops $25k fine: ACCC

Group discount website One Big Switch has paid penalties for misleading customers.

The competition watchdog has fined group discount company One Big Switch $25,200 over allegedly false and misleading claims about how much it could save members on their electricity bills.

The ACCC says RevTech Media, the company behind One Big Switch, paid the penalties over an ad claiming south east Queensland customers could get a 27 per cent discount by switching to another electricity retailer.

The watchdog also took issue with an advertisement promising savings of up to $372 a year if they switched to Click energy.

But ACCC says this was based on a comparison between Click Energy's discounted market offer and the undiscounted offers of EnergyAustralia, Origin and AGL.

"We allege that as a result of these claims, consumers were misled into assuming they were getting bigger discounts and savings than they would actually receive," ACCC chair Rod Sims said in a statement on Monday.

"We believe customers need to be able to easily compare prices to make informed decision about getting the cheapest price for their electricity."


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Source: AAP



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