Bibi van der Zee writing in the Guardian says that we just don’t realize the cost of fuel:

It all goes along with a culture which sees power as free: the shops don’t seem to make the connection between the open doors and the electricity bill. I sound like a pompous old git when I say this, but we are all just spoiled rotten: we have no idea of the true price of water or power. It’s just there whenever we need it and we use it and forget about it.

Her conclusion is that high fuel prices and a recession may teach us more about energy efficiency than environmental campaigners have managed.