Energy labelling of domestic white goods

Energy Energy labels help you to choose an appliance with low energy consumption.

Look for Energy Labels
Look for the Trust’s Energy Saving Label and the EU Energy Label.

Energy Saving Label
The Energy Saving Label is typically used on Denmark’s top 20% most energy efficient products in any given product category. Additional quality requirements also apply to products such as A-rated energy saving bulbs.

EU energy labelling scheme (A-G)
The EU has a mandatory energy labelling scheme covering large appliances and electric light bulbs. The label indicates how energy efficient a device is based on a scale from A to G. A-labelled appliances have the lowest energy consumption within an individual product group. There are also A+ and A++ categories for fridges and freezers.

Energy labels on large domestic appliances tell you about an appliance’s energy consumption and other factors such as water consumption and wash class.

Large domestic appliances which must display the EU energy label:

• Fridges and freezers
• Dishwashers
• Washing machines
• Combined washer dryers
• Electric ovens

How are checks made?
The Danish Energy Agency is responsible for controlling that labels are used correctly on large domestic appliances and light sources. There are 2 types of checks:

1. In stores
   Monitoring that energy labels are used correctly on products in stores across Denmark.
2. Product control
   Checking that energy label information on products is correct, for example checking that A-rated appliances fulfil the requirements for energy class A.

The Trust’s Energy Saving Label Secretariat (ESL) is responsible for administering and carrying out the checks.

Random tests of products are carried out by the ESL which selects one appliance for testing by an authorised laboratory. If the product tested fails to meet the requirements, a further 3 examples are tested. The label is wrong if the 3 products on average exceed the energy requirements by more than 10%.

The Danish Energy Agency can now demand that producers either re-label a product or withdraw it from the market. Ultimately, cases can end up in court.

Look for Flower and Swan
Flower and Swan are the European and Nordic Ecolabels. They are recognised by the Danish authorities and are subject to impartial monitoring. You can find the labels on washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and freezers.

The 2 Ecolabels guarantee that products:

• are amongst the most environmentally friendly for this type of product
• are at least as good as other products of the same type
• do not contain materials that are harmful to health.

Both Flower and Swan have laid down energy efficiency requirements for all electrical products.