Energy provider E.on, which got a shoeing on social media for sending its customers a pair of socks so they can save money by turning the heating down, has apologised for the ill-advised marketing stunt.
The group’s E.onNext division, which promises customers the can “enjoy 100% renewable electricity at no extra cost” sent brighrly coloured socks to 30,000 customers as part of an energy-saving initiative.
The freebie went down about as well as the advice from Ovo, another energy supplier, which advised customers to keep warm by eating ginger, doing exercise with a hula-hoop or hugging their pets.
Ovo boss Stephen Fitzpatrick apologised for that patronising advice earlier this week and now E.on has issued its own apology.
Ovo told its clients to eat ginger to warm up. Eon taking a different tack. Which is better? Fury as Eon sends pairs of socks to cash-strapped customers to save on bills - Mirror Online https://t.co/gbRZIPosQS
— Neil Hume (@humenm) January 14, 2022
“If you recently received a pair of socks from us, we would like to say we are incredibly sorry for how we have made some people feel. In light of the seriousness of current challenges that many people are facing, this mailing should have been stopped and we are sorry,”the company said.
Read the room @EON_SE_en !! ????
Can’t believe residents are getting these whilst they skipped meals to pay for rising energy bills!
Socks aren’t the answer. Nationalisation and public ownership is! pic.twitter.com/AuOZEJ7urp
— ????Cllr Seema Chandwani (@CllrSeema) January 14, 2022
@eon_next I don’t want your cheap nasty free socks I want cheaper utility bills please #eon #energy #energycrisis pic.twitter.com/lKgDNtci0R
— Lord Hornchurch (@LordHornchurch) January 14, 2022
It is not known how many of those who receive the free socks have sent them back but Twitter had more than a few grumblers complaining that they had not received any freebies from their energy supplier.
I knew it, I should've signed up to EON. I knew it. Now everybody gets free socks and I get nothing.https://t.co/GEHuporHo1
— RRR (@_RRR_) January 14, 2022