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

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

3. Key Findings

4. 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

5. 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

6. Consumer Switching Behaviour

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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 – –

13. 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%

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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 – –

17. 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 * * – – – – *

18. 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 – – * – – – *

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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 – – – –

23. 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 – * * –

24. 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 – – * – – – – – – – – – –

25. Research Background and Methodology

26. 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
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.

27. 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.