1. National Consumer Agency Market Research Findings: Consumer Switching Behaviour September 2011 Market Research Conducted by

2. 2 Making Complaints www.nca.ie  Key Findings  Consumer Switching Behaviour  Research Background and Methodology  Profile of Sample Table of Contents

3. 3 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Key Findings

4. 4 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Key Findings - I In the past year consumers are most likely to have switched providers for car insurance (17%, ↑5% points) electricity (14%, ↑3% points) main grocery shop (14%, ↑6% points) Within the past three years almost 1 in 4 (24%) consumers have switched car insurance provider with 2 in 5 (41%) of those switching more than once The highest incidence of multiple switching is found in the grocery sector, both main grocery (49%) and top-up grocery (57%) Overall, across all categories, 79% of consumers, who had switched service providers in the last twelve months, said they had saved money as a result; with the highest incidence in the car insurance (88%) and home insurance (86%) sectors

5. 5 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Key Findings - II The main reason consumers gave for not switching product/service provider across all sectors is due to being happy with their current provider 92% of those who switched found process easy 55% of consumers who have switched service provider feel that they are receiving a better service In the next year consumers are most likely to switch providers for car insurance (19%) home insurance (12%) main grocery shop (11%)

6. 6 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Consumer Switching Behaviour

7. 7 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Extent of Switching Providers within the Past 12 Months (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Car Insurance Electricity supply service Mobile telephone provider Main grocery shop Top up grocery shop Broadband/internet access provider Yes Switching Providers May/June ‘11 Nov/Dec ‘10 June 2010 PrimarySecondaryTertiary Fixed line telephone provider Home insurance provider Heath insurance provider Gas supply service Bank financial institution with current A/C service TV service provider Yes Gym membership Savings/investment provider Credit card provider Provider of credit (more than 1 year but excluding mortgage) Mortgage credit provider Yes – – – (+5%) (+6%)

8. 8 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Whether or Not Saved Money Due to Switching Provider (Base: All who have switched providers in the past 12 months) Home Insurance Provider 86% Mobile Telephone Provider 76% Car Insurance Provider 88% Broadband/Internet Access Provider 72% Main Grocery Shop 76% Electricity supply service 71% Top up Grocery Shop 67% Fixed/Landline Telephone Provider 72%

9. 9 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Switching Behaviour – Primary % Within the Past Year Car insurance provider Electricity supply service Broadband internet access Main grocery shop Fixed/landline telephone Home insurance provider Mobile phone provider Top up grocery shop Health insurance provider Gas supply service Within the Past 3 Years % Incidence of Switching More Than Once (Base: All aged 15-74 with each product/service – 1,000)

10. 10 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Switching Behaviour – Secondary % Within the Past Year Gym membership TV service provider Bank/financial institution Credit card provider Savings/investments provider Mortgage credit provider Provider of credit longer than one year excluding mortgage loans Within the Past 3 Years % Incidence of Switching More Than Once (Base: All aged 15-74 with each product/service – 1,000) –– – –

11. 11 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Reasons for Not Switching Provider Within Past 3 Years – I % Bank/Financial Institution Fixed landline/ Telephone Provider Broadband Provider Mobile Telephone Provider Health Insurance Provider Car Insurance Provider Home Insurance Provider Electricity Service Gas Service Happy with Current Provider (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 3 years) % No Better Deal Available % Didn’t Want the Hassle % Not Worth my While % No Alternative Available – – – – % Don’t Know

12. 12 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Reasons for Not Switching Provider Within Past 3 Years – II % Mortgage Credit Provider TV Service Provider Gym Membership Credit Card Provider Savings/Investments Provider Provider of Credit Longer than One Year Main Grocery Shop Top-Up Grocery Shop Happy with Current Provider (Base: All that have not switched provider within the past 3 years) % No Better Deal Available % Didn’t Want the Hassle % Not Worth my While % No Alternative Available – – % Don’t Know

13. 13 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Experience of the Switching Process (Base: All who have switched providers in the past 12 months – 429) Very easy (5) Somewhat easy (4) Somewhat difficult (2) Very difficult (1) Neither/Nor (3) 92% 88% % May/June 2011Nov/Dec 2010 –

14. 14 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Service Receiving with New Provider (Base: All who have switched providers in the past 12 months – 429) June 2011 November/December 2010 June 2010 November/December 2009 June 2009 (4) Much better (5) The same/ Don’t know Mean Score 423.8 393.9 364.0 403.9 304.0 (2) Much worse (1) 59% 69% 61% 56% 55% – – –

15. 15 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Top-up grocery shop Broadband internet access provider Health insurance Fixed/landline telephone provider TV service provider e.g. Sky/NTL Gym membership Future Likelihood of Switching Providers within the Next 12 Months (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Car Insurance Home insurance provider Mobile telephone provider Electricity supply service Bank financial institution who offers a current A/C service Main grocery shop Yes Switching Providers PrimarySecondaryTertiary Yes Credit card provider Gas supply service Savings/investments provider Provider of credit (more than 1 year but excluding mortgage) Mortgage credit provider Yes May/June ‘11 Nov/Dec ‘10 June 2010 (-5%)

16. 16 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Research Background and Methodology

17. 17 Making Complaints www.nca.ie  The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing with 1,000 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 May/June 2011. Research Background and Methodology Nov/Dec 2007 Aug 2008 Nov/Dec 2008 Nov/Dec 2009June 2010 Nov/December 2010 Benchmark Wave 4Wave 5 Wave 1Wave 2 Wave 6 Current Wave May/June 2011 Wave 7 May/June 2009 Wave 3

18. 18 Making Complaints www.nca.ie Profile of Sample – I (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Male Female % %% 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/ Ulster ABC1 F50+ C2DE F50- MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER YesNo