Sunday 12 July 2015

Lightbulb moment

In which, thanks to the wonderful efficiency savings wrought by the privatisation of our utilities, Britain's heroic hard-working families have to put in a few extra unpaid hours' work, just to avoid having their pockets efficiently picked by the invisible hand:
Today the cause of that bafflement was the story about the "Big Six" Energy companies, and how we consumers aren't shopping around enough to find the best deals, and how the companies aren't encouraging us enough to do that...

...Part of me thinks, what a waste of human hours it is for us all to be surfing the web to find a better offer for basic services. Another part of me thinks that in another world (one I used to know), it was the long standing loyal customers that got the best deals, not those coming in for a quick entry offer for 'new boys'.

Another part of me wonders why on earth basic services are not just one tariff for all, under state control. Why on earth have a price competition for turning on the lights?
Mary Beard

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