The retail industry has backed Sarah Edwards, MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire, England, in launching The TNT Charter – Trust & Transparency in Business Energy, calling for immediate reform of how electricity prices are set, sold and disclosed.
The charter, which has garnered support from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the British Retail Consortium (BRC), The Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) and the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), creates an important signpost for businesses seeking transparent, customer-focused brokers and suppliers. By shining a light on good practice, it creates a reputational incentive that rewards responsible behaviour and introduces competitive pressure for higher standards across the market, ultimately delivering better outcomes for customers.
The Trust and Transparency Charter calls for:
- Standardised, upfront disclosure of the full cost of electricity
- Clear, enforceable rules on sales and pricing
- Simple switching and genuine supplier choice
- Stronger protections for SMEs
- Secure access to energy data to drive innovation
- The Charter urges the Government, Ofgem, and DESNZ to use existing legislative powers to mandate disclosure and standardisation of business energy bills.
The Charter follows on from Sarah’s ongoing business energy campaign, which began in May 2024 after a Tamworth café that had traded for 37 years was threatened with closure over a disputed £10,000 back bill from E.ON Next. Sarah’s office intervened, and an independent review later found the business had in fact been overcharged and was owed money.
The case exposed wider systemic failings, including opaque billing, abusive back billing practices, weak broker oversight and aggressive debt collection. Since raising the issue in Parliament and securing a Backbench Business Debate in July 2025, Sarah has heard from businesses across the country reporting similar experiences.
The TNT Charter is the next step in that campaign, turning those findings into clear, practical reforms to restore trust and transparency in the business energy market.
Business electricity prices remain around 30% higher than those paid by competitors in France and Germany, and 47% of small businesses now cite energy as their main cost pressure. The problem is not just wholesale prices, but a lack of transparency in how non-commodity costs, standing charges and commissions are structured and disclosed. With hundreds of tariffs and inconsistent pricing formats, many firms cannot accurately compare offers or forecast costs. Smaller businesses are particularly exposed to opaque add-ons and weak protections against excessive intermediary commissions.
The coalition warns that energy pricing has become a structural barrier to growth.
When pricing is unclear, competition weakens. Businesses struggle to compare tariffs, switch suppliers or challenge charges, reducing pressure on suppliers and intermediaries to offer better value.
Hidden system costs, inflated commissions and excessive standing charges persist, while businesses lack the bargaining power of larger industrial users. The result is a market where smaller firms systematically pay more, limiting investment and growth.
Edwards said: “Too many businesses are operating in an energy market where the true costs are hidden and fairness is far from guaranteed.
“When pricing is opaque and commissions are buried, competition cannot work properly and smaller firms end up paying more. The TNT Charter sets a clear standard for transparency and accountability.
“I am calling on suppliers, brokers and trade bodies to sign and show they stand for fair dealing.
“The Government and Ofgem already have the powers to act — they must now use them.
“I will continue pushing for these reforms in Parliament until transparency and fairness are the norm in business energy.”
Former ACS Chief Executive James Lowman, who stepped down from his role last Friday (27 February), said: “Independent retailers engage with energy companies on essentially the same basis as households, but the protections available to them are far less effective. The single most important thing is transparency across all the elements of an energy contract, so businesses can take control and better manage their energy costs. We are wholeheartedly backing this campaign and are delighted to see Sarah Edwards MP showing leadership on behalf of a wide range of businesses that need this support.”
Chris Owen, Payment Policy Advisor at the BRC, said:
“From refrigeration and heating stores to transport and logistics, retailers use huge amounts of energy to meet the needs of their customers. Yet rising energy prices are adding to the significant cost pressures already bearing down on the retail industry. These costs are holding back investment in prices, innovation and growth, and eroding competitiveness.
Urgent reform is needed to make energy billing transparent, tackle non-commodity costs and standing charges, and allow retailers to benefit from rebate schemes aimed at energy-intensive industries.”
Fed member and South East London Independent Retailer Kaual Patel said:
“Our convenience stores play an important economic and social role as visible retailers at the heart of their communities, but rising energy bills are a growing concern, because they are energy intensive, often requiring 24-hour refrigeration… the way energy companies impose bills means that things are often skewed against small businesses, particularly shops. Ultimately, high energy costs impact the sustainability of thousands of businesses like mine and our ability to employ the many staff that the economy relies on.”
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: “For too long smaller businesses have paid too much for energy without the freedom to negotiate a new deal. This has to come to an end if we are serious about supporting indie retailers.”
