National Consumer Agency Market Research Findings: Consumer Switching Behaviour August 2012 Research Conducted by

Table of Contents Key Findings Consumer Switching Behaviour Research Background and Methodology Profile of Sample

Key Findings

Key Findings - I Overall 32% of consumers have switched at least one product or service provider in the past year, most likely to have been Car insurance (16%) Broadband Internet provider (14%) Fixed Landline Provider (13%) Savings from Switching 96% of those who switched car insurance stated that they saved money by doing so with the average annual amount saved reported as €125 The highest incidence of multiple switching is found in the grocery sector and car insurance

Key Findings - II 83% of consumers stated that they found the switching process easy 59% of consumers who have switched in the past year have found the new service they receive to be better. Just 1% stated that the service they receive is worse Not Switching? The main reason cited for not switching is due to “satisfaction with the quality/level of service of current provider” with the next highest response being “current supplier offers the best value for money” Of those who have not switched, over 50% across most sectors rising to 2 in 3 in some sectors have not checked if there is a better package/deal available to them since signing up with current provider

Consumer Switching Behaviour

Extent of Switching Providers within the Past 12 Months Jun 2012 Nov 2011 May/June 2011 (Base: All holders/purchasers of products/services) Primary Secondary Tertiary Yes Yes Yes Car Insurance Electricity supply service Mobile telephone provider Main grocery shop Top up grocery shop Broadband/internet access provider Fixed line telephone provider Home insurance provider Health insurance provider Gas supply service Bank financial institution with current A/C service TV service provider Gym membership Savings/investment provider Credit card provider Provider of credit (more than 1 year but excluding mortgage) Mortgage credit Provider Life Insurance/ Mortgage Protection – N/A N/A

Switching Trends – Primary Stated that they saved money as a result of switching within the past 12 months Incidence of switching in the Past Year (Base: All holders/purchasers) (Base: All who have switched in the past year) % % Car insurance provider Electricity supply service Mobile telephone provider Main grocery shop Top up grocery shop Broadband internet provider

Switching Trends – Secondary Stated that they saved money as a result of switching within the past 12 months Incidence of switching in the Past Year (Base: All holders/purchasers) (Base: All who have switched in the past year) % % Fixed/landline telephone Home insurance provider Health insurance provider Gas supply service Bank/financial institution TV service provider * * * * * * * Caution small base

Switching Trends – Tertiary Stated that they saved money as a result of switching within the past 12 months Incidence of switching in the Past Year (Base: All holders/purchasers) (Base: All who have switched in the past year) % % Gym membership Savings/investments provider Credit card provider Provider of credit longer than one year excluding mortgage loans Mortgage credit provider **Life insurance/Mortgage Protection * * * * * * * Caution small base

Average Savings X Typical Billing Periods (Base: All who have saved by switching in the past 12 months) Average Annual Saving Average Monthly Saving Car Insurance (102) Electricity Supply (64)* Home Insurance (36)* €125.12 €168.60 €105.55 Mobile Phone (70)* Broadband (57)* Fixed Line €22.42 €17.70 €21.86 * Caution small base size

Experience of the Switching Process (Base: All who have switched providers in the past 12 months) Nov/Dec ‘10 May/Jun ‘11 Nov ’11 June ’12 % % % % Very easy 88% 92% 84% 83% Somewhat easy Neither/Nor Somewhat difficult Very difficult – –

Quality of Service Received with New Provider (Base: All who have switched service provider - 325) (2) Much worse (1) (4) Much better (5) The same/ Don’t know Mean Score 39 3.8 48 42 3.9 36 4.0 40 June 2012 November 2011 June 2011 November/December 2010 June 2010 November/December 2009 * 59% 50% 55% – 59% 61% – 56%

Switching Behaviour Past 5 Years – I Switched Past 5 Years Switched more than once (Base: All holders/purchasers) (Base: All switchers past 5 years) % % Car Insurance Broadband Provider Fixed Line Provider Mobile Provider Electricity Provider Main Grocery Shop Top Up Grocery Shop Home Insurance Gym Membership * * Caution small base

Switching Behaviour Past 5 Years – II Switched Past 5 Years Switched more than once (Base: All holders/purchasers) (Base: All switchers past 5 years) % % Health Insurance Gas Supply TV Provider Savings/Investments Life Insurance/mortgage protection Credit card Provider of Credit Bank Mortgage Provider * * * * * * * * * * Caution small base

Reasons for Remaining with Current Provider – I (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months) Bank Mortgage Credit Provider Credit Card Provider Savings/ Investment Provider Provider of Credit June’12 November ‘11 % % % % % Current supplier offers the best value for money Time and money needed to switch outweigh the benefits Happy with the quality/level of service currently provided Too difficult to determine who provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations No convenient alternative provider Other Don’t know – –

Reasons for Remaining with Current Provider – II (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months) Fixed Landline Broad- Band Mobile Phone TV Service Main GroceryShop Top Up Grocery Shop June’12 November ‘11 % % % % % % Current supplier offers the best value for money Time and money needed to switch outweigh the benefits Happy with the quality/level of service currently provided Too difficult to determine who provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations No convenient alternative provider Other Don’t know * * – – – – *

Reasons for Remaining with Current Provider – III (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months) June’12 November ‘11 Health Insurance Car Insurance Home Insurance Electricity Supply Service Gas Supply Service Gym Membership Life insurance/ mortgage protection % % % % % % % Current supplier offers the best value for money Time and money needed to switch outweigh the benefits Happy with the quality/level of service currently provided Too difficult to determine who provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations No convenient alternative provider Other Don’t know – – * – – – *

Latest Occurrence of Checking Better Deals/Packages Available – I (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months and not contract bound to provider) Bank Mortgage Credit Provider Credit Card Provider Savings/ Investment Provider Provider of Credit % % % % % Past three months Past six months Past 12 months Longer than 12 months Haven't checked

Latest Occurrence of Checking Better Deals/Packages Available – II (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months and not contract bound to provider) Fixed Landline Broad- Band Mobile Phone TV Service % % % % Past three months Past six months Past 12 months Longer than 12 months Haven't checked

Latest Occurrence of Checking Better Deals/Packages Available – III (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months and not contract bound to provider) Health Insurance Car Insurance Home Insurance Electricity Supply Service Gas Supply Service Gym Membership Life insurance/ mortgage protection % % % % % % % Past three months Past six months Past 12 months Longer than 12 months Haven't checked

How Deals/Packages are Checked – I (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months & checked around) Bank Mortgage Credit Provider Credit Card Provider Savings/ Investment Provider Provider of Credit % % % % % Visiting Company Websites Cost comparison sites Phoned different suppliers Media – Newspapers, Radio, TV Visited Store/branch Provider called to door Other – – – –

How Deals/Packages are Checked – II (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months & checked around) Fixed Landline Broad- Band Mobile Phone TV Service % % % % Visiting Company Websites Cost comparison sites Phoned different suppliers Media – Newspapers, Radio, TV Visited Store/branch Provider called to door Other – * * –

How Deals/Packages are Checked – III (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 12 months & checked around) Health Insurance Car Insurance Home Insurance Electricity Supply Service Gas Supply Service Gym Membership Life insurance/ mortgage protection % % % % % % % Visiting Company Websites Cost comparison sites Phoned different suppliers Media – Newspapers, Radio, TV Visited Store/branch Provider called to door **Broker Other – – * – – – – – – – – – –

Research Background and Methodology

A. Research Background and Methodology Nov/Dec 2007 Aug 2008 Nov/Dec 2008 May/June 2009 Benchmark Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 3 Nov/Dec 2009 June 2010 Nov/December 2010 May/June 2011 Wave 4 Wave 5 Wave 6 Wave 7 Nov 2011 June 2012 Wave 8 Wave 9 The research was conducted by way of face-to-face interviewing of 1,002 people between the ages of 15-74. To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the basis of age, gender and social class. Interviewing was conducted over a four week period in June 2012.

B. Profile of Sample (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,002) Sex Age Region Social Class % % % % 15-24 Dublin ABC1 F50+ Male 25-34 Rest of Leinster 35-44 45-54 Munster Female C2DE F50- 55+ Conn/ Ulster Quotas were set on age, gender, region and social class to ensure that the sample was representative of the population.