Under European Union rules, all electrical products, from washing machines to televisions, are given an energy efficiency rating from A to G. The system has come under fire, however, after it emerged that the tests used to generate the scores are designed in conjunction with manufacturers and do not necessarily reflect the way that consumers use the goods. Last month The Times revealed that in the case of boilers the tests typically overstate efficiency by 10 per cent. Last year the E uropean Environmental Bureau, a network of 140 organisations, found that popular brands of TVs and fridges did not work nearly as efficiently in the home as claimed on the labels. In one case, a TV used 47 per cent more energy in real-life conditions than during the standard EU test. Even the government’s own building standards adviser has said there is an “acute risk” that efficiency declarations can be exaggerated. Despite this the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has defended the system, insisting that it will stick with it after Brexit.
Times 13th Aug 2018 read more »
