Price-performance ratio and regionality will determine tomorrow's energy suppliers
The EVU Atlas from YouGov Switzerland provides an overview of perceptions, market mechanisms, and expectations in the energy sector. Price increases, geopolitical tensions, and the ongoing debate about complete market liberalization have increased attention on the sector and changed the expectations of the population, according to one conclusion.
The new EVU Market Atlas from YouGov Switzerland (formerly known as LINK Marketing Services AG), based on over 18,000 respondents from 2021, 2023, and 2025, examines how the population perceives Switzerland's 29 largest energy suppliers and what would be important when choosing a provider.
Media visibility among the big players – local roots among small energy suppliers
The results show remarkable stability in terms of brand awareness: national providers such as Axpo and Alpiq remain top of mind even though they do not supply private customers, while large regional energy suppliers such as BKW, EKZ, IWB, and CKW also enjoy high visibility. Smaller providers remain locally anchored, while targeted communication has led to noticeable increases for several EVUs.
Perceptions of regionality remain an emotionally important factor and clearly show how strongly many Swiss people identify with their local provider. Energy suppliers such as SAK, Elektra Baselland, and EKS Schaffhausen receive particularly high scores in this area. Western Switzerland shows significantly higher volatility, indicating a stronger reaction by the population to political and price-related debates. The perception of price-performance is developing even more dynamically, with several energy suppliers showing significant improvement between 2023 and 2025, while national providers continue to lag clearly behind.
Value for money and regional roots are the biggest drivers of consideration
A key finding of the statistical model developed by YouGov Switzerland is that, among the characteristics surveyed, two factors in particular increase the likelihood of an energy supplier being shortlisted: perceived value for money and regional roots. Both show a clear and statistically robust correlation with consideration. If a provider is perceived as attractively priced, the probability of consideration increases significantly; if it is perceived as regionally anchored, this further increases trust and willingness to choose. At the same time, there has been a slight negative trend over the years: the population is becoming more cautious overall in its assessment of potential energy suppliers – a possible consequence of the energy policy uncertainty of recent years.
Dissatisfaction higher in French-speaking Switzerland, willingness to switch higher in German-speaking Switzerland
Satisfaction with one's own electricity supplier fell noticeably in 2023, but recovered slightly in 2025. Western Switzerland is particularly striking, where the proportion of clearly dissatisfied customers is three times higher than in German-speaking Switzerland. Nevertheless, it is precisely there that the proportion of people with a very low risk of switching is highest. This paradoxical pattern is typical of regulated markets: attitudes change even without freedom of choice, but they only translate into behavior when real alternatives exist. Hypothetical willingness to switch has been rising significantly since 2021 and stands at around 17 percent in 2025. This means that one in six people today would definitely be willing to switch if they could.
The study shows a clear correlation between the factors of price-performance and regionality and the likelihood that an electricity supplier will be shortlisted. At the same time, there are significant differences between regions: while willingness to switch is higher in German-speaking Switzerland and active loyalty management is required, a sudden and strong impulse to switch could arise in French-speaking Switzerland in the event of market liberalization. Overall, it is becoming apparent that tomorrow's electricity customers will be more informed, more demanding, and more selective than yesterday's customers. Who they choose will not be determined by historical structures, but by transparency, fair pricing, and genuine proximity to the population.
This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/preis-leistung-und-regionalitaet-entscheiden-ueber-die-energieversorger-von-morgen/
