Retail performance

How we measure performance

We use two complaint sources to gain insight into the performance of companies;

• complaints received directly by retailers; and
• complaints raised directly to CCW about companies.

In 2023-24, we’ve changed how we report complaints to retailers. Before, we only counted written complaints. Now, starting from April 2023, we’re including all types of complaints—like phone calls, social media messages, web chats, texts, and in-person visits. We can’t compare to past years’ records of complaints to retailers, as we are measuring performance differently.

To make sure complaints are fair for all retailers, we use something called a Supply Point ID (SPID). The measure we use to do this is ‘complaints per 10,000 supply points’. For example:

• Total complaints: 600
• Total supply points: 4,000,000
• Complaints per 10,000 supply points = 600/4,000,000 x 10,000 = 1.5

How we compare performance

We recognise that for smaller retailers, each complaint can make performance appear disproportionately poor. We categorise retailers based upon their size in the following way;

• smaller retailers – less than 5,000 supply points; and
• larger retailers – more than 5,000 supply points.

In this industry, almost 99% of it is controlled by big retailers. Complaints about smaller retailers are quite rare, with only fourteen reported to CCW in 2022-23. Because of this, we handle larger retailers separately from the smaller ones. We use the median and quartiles as our main ways to understand trends among the big retailers. When it comes to the smaller retailers, we rely more on detailed explanations and stories to analyse what’s happening.

We measure performance by complaints per 10,000 SPIDs and colour code* them as follows:

*Based upon quartile performance

Larger retailer’s performance in 2024-25 (year to date)

*Only business customers in Wales who use 50 megalitres of water per year are allowed to access the retail market and choose their water retailer. The above numbers for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy relates to the total number of SPIDs and not just those in the open retail market. The majority of business customers in Wales continue to receive retail services from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water or Hafren Dyfrdwy.

Small retailers’ performance in 2024-25 (year to date)

We’re unable to colour code small retailers’ performance due to small number of complaints.

Complaint trend

Below, you’ll find graphs that track how retailer complaint trends changed over time. One graph shows complaints received by retailers per 10,000 supply points, while the other illustrates complaints reported directly to CCW per 10,000 supply points. The retailer complaints graphs cover quarterly performance in 2023-24 only, as there’s been a change in how total complaints are reported this year, making it impossible to compare historical data for retailer complaints.

We can’t show complaint trends for small retailers, because we received very few complaints from them.

Key

	Retailer performance
	Poor – if retailer performance is above line
	Average performance
	Good – if retailer performance is below line

ADSM

Business Stream

Castle Water

Clear Business Water

Everflow

First Business Water

SES Business Water

Smarta Water

Source for Business

Water Plus

Water2Business

Wave