Your reporting of npower’s problems (Npower to shed 2,500 jobs after mass departure of customers, 7 March) focuses on the anticipated job losses. I have every sympathy for those who will be affected, but jobs are constantly created and lost in a market economy – it’s what competition does. In this case, you might have noted how many staff are already employed by the new competitors who have made life difficult for npower. Politicians, regulators and consumer organisations have been frustrated by the apparent reluctance of consumers to change suppliers of energy (and other essential services where the market has been liberalised and/or privatised). A small celebration, then, for the 200,000 who acted on their dissatisfaction with npower. Banks and others take note.
Julian Edwards
London
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