24 August 2009: Survey commissioned by National Consumer Agency shows that switching between service providers is on the rise in Ireland. Irish consumers who have switched service providers did so in order to get a better deal.

1. National Consumer Agency Consumer Switching Behaviour Market Research Findings August 2009 Research Conducted by

3. B. Profile of Sample – I (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Male Female % % % % 15-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 Married Living as Married Single Wid/Div/ Sep AB C1 C2 D E F50+ F50- MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER Yes No

4. B. Profile of Sample – II – Internet Use (Base: All Respondents – 1,000) USE INTERNET No Yes EVER PURCHASED ONLINE No Yes BANKING ONLINE No Yes (Base: All Internet Users - 650) (Base: All Internet Users - 650) () = figures from wave 2 ’08 (64%) (36%) (42%) (58%) (34%) (66%) % Yes % Yes % Yes Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

5. Section 1: Consumer Switching Behaviour

6. Extent of Switching Providers – I – Primary & Secondary (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) PRIMARY SECONDARY Yes No (+4%) Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 (+5%) (+8%) Mobile telephone provider Car insurance provider Main grocery shop Top-up grocery shop Fixed/landline telephone provider Bank/financial institution who offers current a/c service Home insurance provider Broadband internet access provider Switching Providers

7. Extent of Switching Providers – II – Tertiary (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Yes No TERTIARY Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 (+4%) Health insurance Gym membership Credit card provider Savings/investments provider TV service provider e.g. Sky, ntl Mortgage credit provider Provider of credit (more than 1 year but exc. mortgage) Electricity supply service Gas supply service Switching Providers

8. Reasons for Switching (Base: All aged 15-74 who switched providers – 557) % Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 I switched to get a better deal because my other provider was too expensive I switched due to poor customer service I switched due to recommendations from friends/family members I switched due to poor coverage/poor reception I switched for convenience I switched due to problems I was having with my provider Other Don't know/no particular reason Switching Providers

9. Reason for Switching Providers – I Fixed line phone Broadband provider Mobile provider % % % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 162 (16%)) (Base: 144 (14%)) (Base: 275 (28%)) – Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Car Insurance % (Base: 110 (11%)) Recommended better provider by peers/friends/ colleagues Saw a TV ad which prompted me to switch Read an article in the newspaper Saw a report on a TV programme Prefer to keep switching all the time to be sure of getting the best deals Other Switching Providers

10. Reason for Switching Providers – II Home Insurance % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 140 (14%)) - Switched current a/c bank % (Base: 120 (12%)) Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Switching Providers Recommended better provider by peers/friends/colleagues Saw a TV ad which prompted me to switch Read an article in the newspaper Saw a report on a TV programme Prefer to keep switching all the time to be sure of getting the best deals Other Benchmark 2007 Question not asked in Benchmark survey

11. Reason for Switching Providers – III Main Grocery Shop Top-up Grocery Shop % % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 218 – (22%)) (Base: 191 – (19%)) (+7%) (+10%) Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Switching Providers Recommended better provider by peers/friends/colleagues Saw a TV ad which prompted me to switch Read an article in the newspaper Saw a report on a TV programme Prefer to keep switching all the time to be sure of getting the best deals Other Benchmark 2007 Question not asked in Benchmark survey

12. Experience of the Switching Process (Base: All who have switched providers - 557) % Very Difficult (5) Somewhat Difficult (4) Neither/Nor (3) Somewhat Easy (2) Very Easy (1) Not Stated 75% easy 82% easy % Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008

13. Service Receiving with New Provider (Base: All who have switched service provider – 557) % Much better service (5) * New Question – Better service (4) The same/no difference (3) Worse service (2) Much worse service (1) Don’t know 69% Mean 4.0

14. Whether Saved Money Due to Switching (Base: All who have switched providers – 557) Yes No # New Question % Don't know Did you save money by switching providers?

15. Reason for Not Switching – I Broadband provider Mobile provider Current A/C bank % % % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 856) (Base: 725) (Base: 880) – Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Fixed phone line % (Base: 838) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Current supplier offers best value for money The time and money needed to switch outweighed the benefits It is too difficult to find out which supplier provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations There is no convenient alternative provider Quality/level of service provided by current provider Not Switching Benchmark 2007 Question not asked in Benchmark survey

16. Reason for Not Switching – II Health Insurance % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 948) Car Insurance % (Base: 741) Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Home Insurance % (Base: 858) – – n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Not Switching Current supplier offers best value for money The time and money needed to switch outweighed the benefits It is too difficult to find out which supplier provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations There is no convenient alternative provider Quality/level of service provided by current provider Benchmark 2007 Question not asked in Benchmark survey

17. Reason for Not Switching – III Main Grocery Shop Top-up Grocery Shop % % (Base: All who switched providers for each service) (Base: 782) (Base: 808) Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 – – – – – – n/a n/a n/a n/a Not Switching Current supplier offers the best value for money The time and money needed to switch outweighed the benefits It is too difficult to find out which supplier provides the best value for money Cannot switch due to limitations There is no convenient alternative provider Quality/level of service provided by current provider Benchmark 2007 Question not asked in Benchmark survey

18. Future Likelihood of Switching Providers – Primary (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Yes No Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 (+9%) Mobile telephone provider Car insurance provider Main grocery shop Top-up grocery shop Electricity Supply Service Home Insurance Provider Switching Providers

19. Future Likelihood of Switching Providers – Secondary (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Yes No Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Bank/financial institution who offers current a/c service Fixed/landline telephone provider Broadband internet access provider Health insurance TV service provider e.g. Sky, ntl Credit card provider Savings/investments provider Switching Providers

20. Future Likelihood of Switching Providers - Tertiary (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Yes No Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Provider of credit (more than 1 year but exc. mortgage) Gym membership Gas supply service Mortgage credit provider Switching Providers