Trust in energy companies is at an all-time low in Aberdeen.
So says Centrica, whose upstream energy division produces oil and gas and whose retail arm then supplies it to thousands of households across the north and north-east.
The company has just launched a new report, Energy Matters, highlighting some of the findings from a study carried out by independent research firm BritainThinks.
One of Centrica’s top bosses – Mark Hanafin, managing director of the group’s energy division – also met 60 Aberdeen residents in the city’s Maritime Museum to find out what people thought about their gas and electricity.
“Unsurprisingly, cost was front of mind,” Mr Hanafin said, adding that people wanted to know why their bills kept going up, what suppliers were doing with all their profits and where their energy would come from in the future.
He said: “We had some really interesting discussions with local people and community leaders, so thanks to everyone who came along.
“If you didn’t, we’re still very keen to hear from you so please do get involved by visiting www.myenergymatters.com and have your say.
“I hope this is just the start of an energy debate which goes beyond politicians and the media.”
UK energy suppliers have been widely condemned for not doing enough to keep bills as low as possible.
Centrica said: “People in Aberdeen described a tale of two cities.
“They said that the energy industry made an important contribution to the city and its economy, but that local people didn’t always seem to benefit from this.
“We heard that many people in Aberdeen were feeling squeezed by the cost of living. Against this backdrop, when they thought about energy specifically, their number one concern was cost.
“Profiteering by energy companies was felt to be one of the key causes of rising energy bills, though the fact that energy is in such high demand across the world was also seen as an important factor.”
The firm added: “Although trust in energy companies was very low, most people in Aberdeen agreed that it was important to talk about energy issues.”
More than two-thirds of people surveyed by BritainThinks 69% said they did not trust firms to act in the interest of its customers.
Centrica said Scottish independence was not a major part of its discussions, but there was some interest in the potential impacts of the referendum.
It added: “The vast majority of the people we spoke to felt that the local economy was booming.
“However, we also heard real frustration that economic prosperity in Aberdeen doesn’t always seem to benefit the local people and that it hadn’t led to enough investment in the city.
“People were also concerned about the rising cost of living in Aberdeen, especially for families and people trying to get on to the property ladder.
“For others, the city centre was felt to be in need of regeneration. Union Street was often described as run-down, especially compared with high streets in Edinburgh and Glasgow.”
Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing was at the Maritime Museum event.
She said: “We all have perceptions about what the issues are around energy. What we learned…was that maybe sometimes those perceptions are not accurate.
“We had a good discussion about the way forward and how we can be working together to get that message out.”
Billy Sloan, chief executive of social enterprise SCARF, which helps people to get the most from their energy suppliers, said: “A lot of subjects were well covered.
“Mark made some very interesting points and it was interesting to hear that they want to get more involved directly with the customer, because it’s not what one expects.”
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