Pressure grows on UK energy suppliers to cut market-peak tariffs for small firms

EDF has agreed to offer contracts at lower rates for small and medium businesses such as independent shops, hairdressers and small factories. Photograph: Ian Bottle/Alamy

Energy companies are under growing pressure to allow thousands of struggling businesses to change their gas and electricity contracts after two major suppliers agreed to cut rates that had been fixed at the height of the energy crisis.

EDF has agreed to offer new deals to 15,000 small and medium businesses that are trapped in long-term contracts fixed when energy market prices reached a historical peak last year.