OVO Energy apologizes after customers advised to cuddle pets to keep warm
Eating bowls of oatmeal, making star jumps and cuddling pets were among the recommendations on the now deleted website.
In a statement sent to CNN on Tuesday, a spokesman for OVO Energy said: “Recently, a link to a blog containing energy saving tips was sent to customers. We understand how difficult the situation will be for many of our customers this year.”
“We are working hard to find meaningful solutions as we approach this energy crisis, and we acknowledge that the content of this blog was poorly assessed and not very useful. We are embarrassed and sincerely apologize,”[ads1]; the spokesman added.
Some UK businesses and households have seen their energy bills rise in recent months, as suppliers struggle with a sharp rise in wholesale gas prices.
UK consumers will pay around £ 790 ($ 1,075) more to heat and light their homes this year, according to Bank of America. Wholesale prices for European gases have jumped by 400% compared to the previous year, and electricity prices have increased by 300%, the bank’s analysts said last week. The increases have been driven by cold weather, breaches of nuclear power plants in France and reduced gas flow from Russia.
According to National Energy Action, more than 4 million British households are in the grip of fuel poverty – a figure that the charity believes could rise by 2 million in April when a ceiling on energy prices is expected to rise.
OVO Energy removed its advice after a wave of angry responses from legislators and campaigns.
After the apology, British lawmaker Darren Jones, who heads Parliament’s select committee on business, tweeted: “Well, I’m glad they apologized. I’m not sure who signed a marketing campaign telling people to wear a sweater and eat porridge instead. to turn on the heat if you can not afford. “
Halima Begum, head of the Runnymede Trust’s think tank for racial equality, criticized the “offensive” and “reckless” advice, especially with regard to the training proposal and the implications for those with disabilities.
Begum said that half of the 7 million people living in poverty in the UK are disabled or live in a family with a person in a wheelchair. “And they should star jump to maintain their basic right to heat?” she wrote on Twitter.
