Meanwhile, energy companies continued to increase profits. For instance, Shell's profits of $11.5 billion (£8.4 billion) in the second quarter of 2022 was double the figure in the previous year.[1] BP's profit of £6.9 billion in this period was three times larger than in 2021.[2] Centrica, the owner of British Gas, made profits of £1.3 billion in the first half of 2022, five times larger than profits in the first half of 2021.[5]