PRESS RELEASE - 27.08.2021

UPDATE 31/8: "ovens" replaced by "dishwashers"

This 1^st September, a new energy label will start appearing on lamps sold across the EU. The revised label is a great improvement for consumers, who will get clearer and more helpful information on how energy-efficient lamps are.

Lighting products are following in the footsteps of other electrical appliances that have been benefitting from the new energy label since 1 March this year: fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, and TV sets.

The major change is the removal of the confusing ‘A+’, ’A++’ and ‘A+++’ classes that had appeared on the energy label over the years. The label will revert to the popular A-G scale, as requested by consumer groups. Most appliances were grouped in the ‘+’ classes, thus leaving lower classes empty and making the label rather meaningless.

The stricter measurement method means that a lamp previously ranking A++ may be downgraded to D for example, as found by Belgian consumer group Test Achats.¹ This does not mean the lamp has become less efficient. The new ranking simply reflects the present state-of-the-art, and leaves room for future innovative products to populate the A class.

Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC, commented:

“It is encouraging that the new energy label keeps sprouting on more types of products. Shoppers get much clearer information on the energy performance of dishwashers, washing machines, fridges, and TV screens - and now lamps. At a time when more environmentally friendly consumption is growing on many minds, this is excellent news. We’re looking forward to 2025, when the old energy label will be history.”

Stephen Russell, ANEC Secretary-General, added:

“We very much welcome the return to the A-G scale for lamps, and it is a loss to consumers and the environment that not all electrical appliances will carry this simpler and clearer label until 2025. We want to help consumers buy the most energy-efficient products possible and the easy message “Buy A” allows us to do that again!”

Here is a timeline of the rescale for the different product groups:

More: information:

• ANEC-BEUC factsheet, The new energy label: back to the A-G label
• European Commission explainer on the new energy label
• BEUC press release ‘Consumers will finally benefit from a clearer energy label from 1 March’, 23 Feb 2021.

BEUC is part of BELT, an EU project which helps consumers understand the new energy label. More information in this BEUC news piece.

The project BELT has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 847043. The sole responsibility for this content lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein..

¹  See Test Achats, ‘Performances des lampes : place aux nouvelles étiquettes’, 23 August 2021.