Money-saving guru Martin Lewis has publicly demanded ITV pull a 'misleading' energy switching advertisement, warning it could exploit vulnerable households during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The consumer champion took to social media to express his outrage after spotting the advert, which promotes an energy comparison service. Lewis argued the ad fails to make clear that customers may not actually save money by switching suppliers in the current volatile energy market.
Consumer Champion Sounds Alarm
In a series of passionate tweets, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com explained: "This ad gives the impression you can save hundreds by switching energy supplier right now. That's simply not true for most people in today's market."
Lewis, known for his tireless campaigning on consumer rights issues, warned that such misleading claims could lead to financially stretched families making costly decisions during what he called "the worst cost of living crisis in memory".
ITV Faces Mounting Pressure
The television network now faces growing pressure to withdraw the advertisement, with many of Lewis's 2.3 million Twitter followers joining his call for action. This isn't the first time the financial expert has challenged broadcasters over questionable financial promotions.
"Broadcasters have a duty of care," Lewis stressed. "At a time when millions are struggling to pay their bills, we can't have ads that might trick people into making decisions that could leave them worse off."
Energy Market in Turmoil
The intervention comes as Britain's energy market remains in unprecedented turmoil, with regulator Ofgem's price cap set to rise dramatically in October. Many comparison sites have temporarily suspended their switching services as few deals currently beat the capped rates.
Consumer groups have backed Lewis's stance, with one energy expert telling us: "Martin's absolutely right to call this out. Right now, for most people, the safest option is to stay put rather than risk switching to a more expensive deal."
ITV has yet to respond publicly to Lewis's criticism, but sources suggest the complaint is being taken seriously at the highest levels of the broadcaster.
