On March 1, 2021, the new energy labelling system of household appliances throughout the European Union, with the aim of simplifying information for the consumer.
The new energy label differs from the previous one in three ways:
- It returns to the classic letter system (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), with category 'A' being the most efficient and 'G' the least efficient.
- The A+, A++ and A+++ subcategories disappear.
- A QR code is included, which the consumer can scan to obtain more information about the appliance.
What are the new energy labels for household appliances like?
The new energy label (right) will be, in general, of a very similar appearance to the previous one (left).
But even if they are similar, they have a lot of differences!
Do you want to know which ones? Keep reading!
1. Change of scale in energy labels
The first change is the recategorization of household appliances.
Before 2021:
The appliances were classified on a scale consisting of letters and colours that ranged from D red (least efficient) to A+++ dark green (more efficient).
As manufacturers introduced innovations and more efficient products, more and more appliances were being classified as A+, A++ or A+++. But, then, what good did it do to us users? What's the difference between an A++ and an A+++?
With so many signs, things got complicated, and It ceased to be useful to the consumer.
As of 2021:
For this reason, the New scale removes the “+” tags to return to the Pure letter system, between the red letter G and the green letter A.
In addition, each letter has been reclassified so that Category A starts empty, and it is being filled with the new, most efficient devices that come to the market.
To ensure that this scale remains useful to the consumer, The classification will be reviewed when 30% of the products on the market are in range A or when 50% are in bands A and B.
2. More information on appliance labelling
The second change is the introduction of new information on the label.
The QR code
Firstly, in the upper right corner, there is a QR code. By scanning it with the phone (as if we were taking a picture of it), we can consult all consumer specifications of the device. Thus, we can forget about the eternal use manuals of household appliances.
New icons and data
Charging appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, etc.) are They have updated the icons of the block of pictograms so that they are sharper and more visible.
In addition, changes have been applied to make the data clearer and easy for the consumer to interpret:
- It has been added to the length in minutes of household appliances that have the “Eco 40-60” program.
- El water consumption of household appliances that have the “Eco 40-60” program is shown directly in litres per cycle, instead of specifying the annual litres (corresponding to 200 cycles).
- El energy consumption of the devices, shown in kWh per 100 cycles of the device, instead of every 220 cycles.
How does the label change affect my appliances?
It does not affect the operation of your appliances
The short answer is that this labelling change It doesn't affect you in the short term, since your devices will have the same efficiency that they had until now.
The only thing that changes is that, compared to the new appliances on the market, will be lower on the letter scale.
In addition, if you bought a new appliance starting in November 2020, it doesn't affect you in any way, since your device already has the new energy label.
It may affect whether you want to sell your appliance
The fact that your appliance has the old classification can have a long-term effect.
In other words, if you intend to sell one of your second-hand appliances or use it in a Renove Plan, you must review the level of efficiency of the appliance with the new classification to avoid errors, misunderstandings and even complaints of malpractice.
How to read the new energy label when buying appliances?
Good news: the goal of the new labelling is to make information clearer for users. So you can! Compare better and make better decisions!
What do you have to focus on? Take note:
1. Look at the lyrics to learn about energy efficiency
Notice the letter inside the black indicator (see example below). The colour of that letter and its position on the scale tell you how efficient it is compared to other devices.
Appliances that have a A or B will consume the least energy. Therefore, even if its price is higher, Your electricity bill will be cheaper because you will consume less. And you'll also be more environmentally sustainable!
In other words, When buying a new device, don't just look at the price, but also look at its energy efficiency. And don't worry if it's not A. Remember that no appliance today has that letter! It is reserved for future, more efficient devices.
2. Scan the QR code for more information
Buying an appliance can be a significant investment. Therefore, being well-informed before making a decision never hurts.
With the QR code, located in the upper margin (see example below), you can quickly access all the Details about the device What are you considering buying to make an informed decision.
3. Compare manufacturers and set priorities
As you well know, not all that glitters is gold. It is very likely that Some manufacturers take advantage of the new labelling to raise the price of their appliances.
Therefore, it is important to compare options and prices, as well as balancing price and efficiency, to decide if:
- Make a strong initial investment in a highly efficient appliance that returns it to us in the long run
- Or make a lower investment for a less efficient device.
Be that as it may, the important thing is that your decision is reasoned and based on the information you have at your disposal. The good part? The new labels are easier to interpret and more useful than before, so you'll have it easier than ever!
