SCOTTISH households could save £52m a year by turning off electrical devices that are left on standby, a survey has found.
A study of the way people use gadgets revealed that more than half leave their TVs on while not in the room, and others are just as cavalier with electricity when it comes to DVD players, set-top boxes and other energy-draining devices.
More than three quarters admitted to regularly leaving at least two devices on standby, with an advanced set-top box said to cost at least £20 a year if left switched on at the wall on for 20 hours a day.
Almost half of those who leave their TV on standby said they did so because it was more convenient, while 22 per cent said they cannot access the plug or see no reason to turn it off.
A fifth of people regularly leave multiple televisions switched on in order to not to miss anything when moving between rooms.
But Scots are not keen to take the blame for wasteful energy habits, with 30 per cent saying it is their spouses fault, while two fifths of people say their children are responsible for devices being left on.
The findings come from an an Ipsos MORI poll released ahead the launch of Big Energy Saving Week, a joint campaign led by the UK government and citizens groups to help people cut their fuel bill.
It found that the number of gadgets in people's homes had mushroomed in recent years, with kitchens boasting more electrical devices than ever before.
During the past five years, use of coffee makers has risen by almost 60 per cent, as has the number of ice-cream makers - while twice as many households now own smoothie makers and electric juicers.
Meanwhile, the number of e-books in use has doubled and Scots are tapping away on four times as many tablet computers as they did in 2010.
The campaign, which begins on Monday 26 October, is being run by a network of Citizens Advice centres where volunteers will offer tips on how to make households more energy efficient.
Mike Thornton, Director of Energy Saving Trust Scotland, said: “Taking control of your energy use is the simplest way to save money in the home.
"More and more, we are seeing people wasting money on their bills because they prefer to leave things on standby rather than switching off adding around £30 to their bills every year.
“Getting down on your hands and knees and working out what you can and can’t switch off can be a real pain for some of us, but it doesn’t have to be like that.
"We suggest safely plugging everything that you can switch off into one extension socket and everything that you can’t into another.”
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, added: "Smaller energy bills could make a warm home in winter more affordable for everybody.
“The Citizens Advice Service helps thousands of people a year who are struggling to afford their energy. Being on the best deal, saving energy where possible and getting support to switch where needed can have a massive impact on people’s ability to manage their energy costs."
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