25 February 2026
CHOICE has launched a mock energy retailer, ‘Shocking Energy’, to highlight the confusing pricing tactics used by energy companies.
“Shocking Energy’s mission is simple – to harness the power of confusion to keep energy costs rising. The mock retailer is a big fan of creating meaningless plan names, reused multiple times at different prices, making it nearly impossible for consumers to work out which deal is actually best,” says CHOICE Senior Campaigns and Policy Advisor, Jordan Cornelius.
“What makes Shocking Energy different? Honesty. Shocking Energy openly admits its tactics are confusing, hopefully tricking customers into paying more on their energy bills,” says Cornelius.
While Shocking Energy isn’t real, the industry tactics it exposes certainly are. A 2025 CHOICE survey of almost 400 energy bills found 64 examples of energy retailers telling customers to switch to a plan with the same name. Those customers could have saved an average of $171 annually if they had switched to the cheaper plan offered, even though it had the same name.
“CHOICE research also found many consumers are switching plans or retailers far less often than every year. People in the lowest income group were the least likely to believe cheaper rates may be available monthly, quarterly, or twice a year. Only 5% of people think switching plans or providers every few months could help them get the best deal,” says Cornelius.
“According to the latest ACCC Electricity Market Inquiry, households that have been on the same electricity plan for more than three years are paying on average $221 more each year than customers on newer plans. In NSW, an average household not on their retailer’s best plan could save around $300 per year simply by switching to the cheapest available option,” says Cornelius.
By signing up to Shocking Energy, consumers can stay in the loop on the sneaky tactics used by energy retailers, and learn practical tips to find the cheapest and most suitable energy plan for them.
Sign up to Shocking Energy at their website: choice.com.au/shockingenergy
Editor’s notes:
CHOICE collected almost 400 energy bills from supporters between January and March 2025 as part of their designated complaint.
CHOICE Consumer Pulse September 2024 is based on an online survey designed and analysed by CHOICE. 1,024 Australian households responded to the survey with quotas applied to ensure coverage across all age groups, genders and locations in each state and territory across metropolitan and regional areas. The data was weighted to ensure it is representative of the Australian population based on the 2021 ABS Census data. Fieldwork was conducted from the 5th to the 18th of September, 2024.
