One in five energy-using products across Europe do not match their energy efficiency claims, according to the Energy Saving Trust. This follows findings from European Commission-funded research which revealed that up to 20 per cent are non-compliant with energy efficiency standards, such as energy labelling.
The Energy Saving Trust will be independently purchasing and testing energy-using products across Europe to verify the energy saving claims made by manufacturers. This is part of a product surveillance programme, known as MarketWatch, to make sure consumers are getting the best deal through fully compliant energy-using products that match their energy saving claims in real-life situations.
The three year programme will carry out over 300 inspections in shops and 300 in online stores, checking a total of 25,000 products to see if they are properly labelled. To verify the true energy efficiency of products, 100 partial lab tests will be carried out, followed by 20 independent lab tests.
Philip Sellwood, chief executive at the Energy Saving Trust, says: “Consumers are wising up to the monetary savings of using the best and most efficient products – they’re trying to do the right thing but need to be rewarded properly through the savings stated being realised.
“That’s why we aim to be the eyes and ears for UK consumers to ensure energy efficiency claims by product manufacturers are true and will save them money on their energy bills. We need to address the fact that consumers across Europe are not maximising the energy saving benefits stated by millions of products.”
Douglas Herbison, chief executive at the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) says: “AMDEA supports having regulations consistently reinforced by the appropriate product standards across the EU. This means all domestic appliances sold in the EU member states have to meet the same technical requirements as other products within the same product category. The market surveillance and enforcement for energy labelling already happening across Europe is vital in ensuring that products’ energy efficiency claims conform to these requirements.”
