Consumers at different life stages receive starkly inconsistent marketing from the utilities sector.

That’s the verdict from advertising agency d.fferent, which has published a new study claiming 18% of pensioners receive no communications through any channels.

This contrasts with young students, who are the most satisfied group with utilities marketing –  they feel they are contacted at the right time, with 21% reporting they are communicated to ‘very well’.

This compares with pensioners feeling marginalised, with only 7% reporting they are communicated to ‘very well.’

Around 15% of older people feel angry and as little as 7% of feel their needs are adequately understood.

Almost a quarter (23%) of home movers are generally happy with the marketing they receive, while first-time parents are among the happiest consumers surveyed.

Almost half of ’empty nesters’ remain indifferent towards utilities marketing and 42% report they receive too much.

Ben Quigley, Group Chief Executive at d.fferent, said: “Brands are overlooking older people, with pensioners feeling especially marginalised.

“Almost a third say nothing would make them more likely to sign up to a provider, which reveals a deep dissatisfaction.”