Energy labels
If you're shopping for an electrical appliance, or any household item that consumes energy, look for the energy efficiency label.
The label (see example below) tells you how the appliance compares to others on the market in terms of its energy consumption. Green-coded appliances use the least amount of energy, while red indicates high energy consumption. Each colour also corresponds to a letter that indicates its energy consumption, from A (low consumption) to G (high consumption).
Warning
You might see a label on older appliances with a + symbol. That symbol is no longer being used on the following categories of items (since 2021):
- refrigerators
- dishwashers
- washing machines
- televisions, monitors etc.
- light bulbs and lamps
EU energy label rules apply not only to household appliances but to all energy-related products, such as goods or systems that impact energy consumption during use e.g. water heaters, air conditioners, boilers etc. However, the rules do not apply to second-hand products or transport.
More information on energy consumption
A database called the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) provides energy consumption information of appliances sold on the EU market. This list of energy labelling and ecodesign requirements provides further product-specific information.
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