Customers are constantly being urged to switch utility providers. But what are the psychological barriers that stop them?
We're more likely to get divorced than move bank accounts. Four-fifths of people cannot be bothered to look for cheaper gas or electric bills despite the urging of numerous consumer gurus to switch.
In short we'd rather pay hundreds of pounds a year extra on phone, broadband and utility bills rather than have to enter the mind-numbing world of the price comparison websites.
The inertia of the British public has been highlighted after Energy Secretary Chris Huhne chastised people for not seeking out the cheapest gas and electricity deals. "They do not bother," he said in an interview with the Times.
"They spend less time shopping around for a bill that's on average more than £1,000 a year than they would shop around for a £25 toaster." He denies accusing the public of "laziness" but many consumer experts say that the public are apathetic about getting a bad deal...
