If you want to buy a refrigerator or a washing machine, you are often spoilt for choice: there are different functions, sizes, designs and prices. Another distinguishing criterion is the energy label that sticks on the products. It shows a traffic light scale from red to green and provides information about the energy efficiency of the respective product. A new energy label is now mandatory as of November 1.

The European Union has adopted the new classification of energy efficiency classes for electrical appliances. The current energy label must be improved to make it easier for consumers to compare different household appliances. Anyone who goes to a MediaMarkt or Saturn store today, for example, will be faced with a number of appliances in classes A+, A++ or A+++. This differentiation in the best category is due to the fact that technological progress means that there are more and more products that are even more energy-efficient than the previous ones. It is becoming increasingly difficult for customers to keep track and compare.

In addition, the new label should make it easier for customers to keep track of other information that affects the sustainability of a product. This includes, for example, the size of the interior, the water consumption per wash cycle or the electricity consumption throughout the year.

This is the new label

As of November 1, suppliers must now include the new label in addition to the previous energy label. The changeover to the new energy label will then begin on March 1, 2021 in stores and online trading. From this date on, only the new label will be visible.

The product groups affected by the regulation are initially dishwashers, washing machines, washer-dryers, refrigerators and freezers including wine storage cabinets and electronic displays including televisions. Further product groups will be added in the coming years.

At first glance, it is already clear that the new energy label goes from class A to G, while the previous label included classes A+++ to D. In addition, the new label is intended to downgrade the energy efficiency classes of existing appliances. Refrigerators that are currently labelled with the upper A+ classes will in future in most cases receive class B. So there will probably be only a few A products at the time of the changeover. Class B and C will thus designate very good, energy-saving appliances from March 2021.

The new labels will also include a QR code and device-specific information to give customers a more comprehensive insight into the sustainability and resource consumption of a particular product.