Utility Warehouse has sent around 100 people promoting their services to their friends and family on an all-expenses-paid holiday to the Maldives.
The alleged partners of the company, who are not employees, enjoyed a stay at the OBLU Xperience hotel, where room prices start at around £430 a night, The Sun reported.
“It doesn’t feel good during a cost-of-living crisis,” one of the travelers told the paper.
The eight-day trip was meant to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Utility Warehouse sells mobile phone, broadband, home insurance and energy contracts to households across Great Britain.
It relies on its so-called partners, who mostly have normal jobs, to market its products to households.
Between November and January, active members earned an average of £757 per month, the company told the PA news agency.
In the fiscal year ending March 2022, the company had a total of about 47,620 partners, most of whom were unlikely to be active.
In addition to their commissions, members can earn rewards, including free pizza or chocolates or a Christmas dinner.
They can also win the right to lease an electric car or bicycle at a reduced rate.
Utility Warehouse said: “Over 50,000 people across the UK from all backgrounds are members of UW.
“Our members are self-employed and earn income by recommending our services to their friends and family.
“By doing so, we offer a meaningful way to help people get out of the cost of living crisis.
“We also offer members ways to earn additional incentives, like vacations.
“We are proud of our hard-working partners and are transparent about the opportunities that come with it.”
Utility Warehouse’s energy arm offers households an energy tariff that would be around £12 cheaper than the government’s guaranteed price.
Customers who sign up for two other services, such as mobile phones or broadband, from Utility Warehouse get a cheaper rate and can save around £125 on average compared to the current price guarantee level of £2,500.