Summary

Household energy bills in the UK are increasing due to the rising price of methane gas (also known as natural gas). Across a variety of message frames, an economic frame was the most successful at persuading UK audiences to consider switching from methane gas to renewable energy. 

Study Design

A sample of 2,000 residents of the United Kingdom completed the study in May 2024. Participants were randomly assigned to view one of three treatment videos (comedy, finance, or interview) or an unrelated placebo video. The treatment videos each discussed the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. All participants completed a series of seven outcomes assessing perceptions about the UK’s relationship with gas and gauging interest in switching to alternatives if available. 

Key Findings

• The economic frame (finance video) was the most effective at persuading U.K. residents of the harms of relying on fossil fuels with increases in persuasion of between 4-13%.
  • “Switching away from gas utilities to alternative energy sources would save me money on energy bills” had the highest increase of 13%.
• Respondents considered “persuadables”, people who said they neither strongly agree nor disagree with statements such as “I regularly engage in campaigning against climate change” had slightly more pronounced effects than respondents overall (1-3% additional lift).
• Women were the subgroup most persuaded by the campaign. Both the economic frame and the comedy frame were persuasive with women.
• The Break Up with Gas campaign is successful in villainizing the natural gas industry in both the US and the UK.