Sentiment Survey

June 2022

Introduction

Energy Consumers Australia’s Sentiment Survey provides insight into consumer satisfaction, experiences, trust and confidence in the electricity and gas markets. It also explores consumers’ hopes and concerns for the future and in this survey we look specifically at the community’s attitudes, preferences and expectations of the big energy transitions taking place across the country.

You can explore the national or state-based results using the below category-tabs, or you can look at the results specifically for households, or small businesses. You can also explore the household and small business result by different demographics using the tabs above each chart.

You may also be interested in our Behaviour Survey which looks at how residential and small business consumers use power and associated energy technology, their attitudes to new technology, and how they see the future of energy – the most recent of which is from October 2021.

This research, as well as charts showing time series and access to previous results can be found in the ‘Downloads’ link.

Pulse Surveys

Energy Consumers Australia’s series of three ‘Pulse Surveys’ track monthly consumer sentiment from June to August 2022. ECA have recognised that due to extraordinary circumstances, there is a strong possibility that consumer sentiment may have shifted since research for the ECSS was conducted in April.

These extraordinary circumstances occurred in June 2022, where Australia experienced a period of sustained high prices in the wholesale electricity market in response to international events, flooding in Queensland and NSW coal mines and colder-than-usual weather. The combination of these factors has led to saturation media coverage and widespread talk of an ‘energy crisis’.

Key insights

This survey shows a deterioration in household satisfaction with the value for money of electricity services for the first time since 2018, although against this trend, small business satisfaction on the same measure was up to its highest level since we started this survey. There is evidence that households are feeling the pinch of bill stress, and many are not getting the help they are asking for from their retailer. Looking forward, the largest proportion of respondents have set their sights on an energy transition to 100% renewables by of 2030 and when considering the energy transition ahead, having affordable energy prices for all Australians was the top concern.

67% (down 3%) Of households are satisfied with the value for money of their electricity services
1 in 3 Households seeking help from their retailer for bill stress say they did not receive useful help
Of households say having affordable energy for all Australians is the top consideration with the energy transitions
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