As co-regulator of the Gas industry (in partnership with Government), it’s our responsibility to help facilitate a safe, efficient, reliable, fair and sustainable gas market.

Data plays a central role in our ability to monitor current gas market conditions. We collect information about the gas industry and display it as a resource for both industry and consumers, and use it to guide our extensive ongoing work programmes schedule.


Tracking market performance

Switching metrics are is a key data set for us. The ability of consumers to ‘switch’ gas retailers is crucial - enabling consumers to choose, and alternate, efficiently between competing retailers is indicative of a healthy marketplace. The chart below shows the number of consumers per month that switched between retailers since 2010.

The information in these charts is sourced from the gas registry and shows statistics on retailer switching and retailer, distributor and meter owner market shares. 

An Installation Control Point, or ICP, is a physical point of connection between a gas network and a consumer’s installation. Each ICP has an individual ICP number in the Gas Registry. 

Historical registry data and switching statistics can be downloaded here.

Consumer switches per month

The ability to switch gas retailers is important to enable consumers to choose, and alternate, efficiently between competing retailers. The below chart shows the number of consumers per month that switched between retailers since 2010. 


Tracking efficiency & accessibility

The amount of time it takes for a consumer to be switched over to a new retailer is a determining factor in how accessible and efficient the switching rules are. This chart shows how long on average a switch took to be completed.

Length of time for switch completion

Retailers who lost and gained customers by switching

This chart shows which retailers lost and gained customers per month through switching.

Distribution of switch duration

This chart shows the distribution of switching times across 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2020. For each year it shows the number of switches taking each length of time. 

Number of switches since 2009 by category

This series of charts show the number of switches broken down by retailer, type of consumer and region since 2009.  


Tracking network performance

Total ICPs by distributor

This chart shows how many individual connections (ICPs) each distributor has on their networks.  

Total ICPs by meter owner

This chart shows how many individual connections (ICPs) each meter owner has. 


Tracking retailer performance

Active ICPs by retailer and consumer category

This chart shows how many individual connections (ICPs) each retailer has split up by consumer type

Retail market share of active ICPs

These graphs show the number of Active ICPs for each retailer over time. Note that historical Trustpower ICPs are shown as part of Mercury.

  • Large retailers are defined here as having a peak of over 15,000 ICPs.
  • Medium retailers have a peak of between 1,000 and 15,000 ICPs.
  • Small retailers have a peak below 1,000 ICPs.

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