Some Sainsbury’s Energy customers will see their energy bills increase from April (Image: Getty)
Sainsbury’s has issued an unwelcome message to customers who are part of its energy scheme ahead of a price change in April.
has announced that its by 6.4% from April 1, raising the average bill for households on a standard variable tariff in England, Wales and Scotland from £1,738 per year to £1,849.
The price hike will add an extra £111 per year on average to , or around £9.25 more per month over the three-month period of the price cap.
Ofgem said the increase in costs from April to June 2025 is due to a recent spike in wholesale energy prices, which account for around 78% of the total increase.
The price cap sets the maximum rate per unit and standing charge that customers can be charged by suppliers for their energy use, not the total bill – so if you use more energy then you will pay more.
But the price cap rate is only paid by households that aren’t currently on a fixed tariff, so if you switch, it’s possible to undercut the price cap significantly.
In response to the price cap announcement, Sainsbury’s Energy issued a message to customers on its website warning that customers on its standard variable tariff and its Track and Reward tariff will be affected by the change.
Sainsbury’s said: “The price cap affects customers on a standard variable tariff and our Track and Reward tariff. The price cap does not apply to you until the end of your contract if you’re on a fixed energy tariff. Find out which tariff you’re on by logging in to your account.
“If you’re on our standard variable tariff, we’ll contact you to explain how these changes affect you. If you’re on our Fix & Reward Tariffs, your prices will stay the same until your tariff term ends. We’ll contact you when your fixed tariff term is about to end with guidance for what to do next.”
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Sainsbury’s said customers affected by the price change will receive a letter or email detailing the changes to their unit prices and standing charges for the period of April 1 to June 30.
The retailer added: “The specific standing charges and unit rates each customer sees will vary by region, how you pay your bill and type of meter installed. This is to reflect the different costs to suppliers of providing energy to homes and servicing the different payment methods.”
Sainsbury’s also gave its forecast for the next price cap change in July, saying it expects costs to drop by £50 from the April rate. This prediction is based on a typical dual fuel customer paying by Direct Debit, using Ofgem’s Typical Domestic Consumption Values of 2,700kWh of electricity and 11,500kWh of gas per year.
It said: “We’re here to keep you informed, so you can make the right choices about your energy. Based on the latest data, we expect the July price cap to lower to £1,799 – a decrease of £50 from April’s cap.”