19 February 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require A-G energy-efficiency ratings to make explicit the A+ and A++ categories (and any future, higher categories), so that consumers are aware that energy efficiencies greater than ‘A’ can be achieved with products so rated."
Details of petition:
"The electrical manufacturing industry has lobbied effectively for the creation of new efficiency categories of A+ and A++. However, these are not shown on efficiency charts and very few companies stock the products. As a result, consumers wishing to maximise the efficiency of their domestic applinces are being left ignorant of the very products they would most likely wish to buy. This means there is little demand for these products, which in turn means that distributors do not stock them, which in turn means the consumer continues to be left uninformed about their purchasing choices. Explicit display of the higher efficiency ratings would lead to more energy-efficient households, reducing carbon emissions and heating bills. Not only that, but through increased demand for these products, such measures will stimulate the manufacture of these products and lead to better quality and excellence in the industry."
Read the Government’s response
The Government remains fully committed to raising product standards and encouraging consumers to use the most energy efficient domestic appliances available. This is being done via a combination of policy measures including product information (energy labels), minimum standards and the promotion of best practice. These policies are being taken forward by the Government’s Market Transformation Programme (MTP).
As you are aware a wide range of appliances are required to display the European Union (EU) ‘A to G’ energy label at the point of sale. It is the retailers’ responsibility to ensure that the appropriate label is attached and failure to do so can result in enforcement action being taken by Local Trading Standards. If you are therefore aware of any instances of energy labels not being displayed I encourage you to report this to your Local Trading Standards in the first instance.
The Government fully support the point you make about retailers being encouraged to sell the most efficient appliances available and to inform the public about the performance of those appliances. It is for this reason that Budget 2006 announced an initiative that the Government would work closely with major retailers to encourage them to improve the energy efficiency of the products they procure and sell.
We are also working with other Member States and the European Commission to consider how we can expand the range of products required to display mandatory energy labels in the most timely and efficient way. As well as this, The Energy Saving Trust is planning to broaden their Energy Saving Recommended label, which identifies the most efficient products, to cover new products.
On the specific point about A+ and A++ labels - these additional categories of the mandatory EU A to G energy label have been agreed for use by the EU only for refrigerators and freezers and their combinations. They are subject to exactly the same rules as other EU A to G energy labels and must be displayed by retailers on relevant products at the point of sale.
The division of the Energy Label A class into A, A+ and A++ for these products was agreed very much as a temporary measure and a decision as to whether it will be extended to other products or the existing A to G classes will be reviewed as soon as Member States and the Commission have considered how to move forward on energy labelling in general.