Brokers and procurement
Whole of market and supplier panels explained
Does ‘whole of market’ mean every business energy supplier?
Not necessarily. Ask the broker to state which suppliers it can approach for your organisation and meter types, which suppliers it actually approached, which responded, and why any offer was excluded. Coverage and recommendation quality are related but different questions.
Written by Energy Guide editorial team · Specialist review: Pending · Source checked:
Panel, selected market and broad coverage
A panel broker compares offers from a defined group. That can be useful where the panel contains suppliers willing and able to serve the business, but it does not show offers outside the panel. A claim of broad or whole-market coverage should still be documented rather than assumed.
Ask for the comparison record
Request a schedule showing who was approached, who responded, the product and term, estimated annual and contract cost, standing charges, unit rates, fixed and pass-through items, broker remuneration, quote validity and reasons for rejection. Use the same consumption assumptions for every offer.
Do not mistake membership for coverage
Trade association or voluntary-code status can be a useful evidence point. It does not prove access to every supplier, independence, the best available price or regulatory endorsement.
Sources
These sources support the explanation above. Check the linked source for current rules and eligibility.