Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Certain energy-related products must meet energy labelling and ecodesign requirements. These aim to improve the products' environmental performance throughout their lifecycle.
Ecodesign is a legal requirement if you manufacture certain energy-related products such as boilers, lighting and electrical and electronic equipment. If you supply or import energy-related products you must ensure that the products meet specific design requirements. In the future, design requirements will also affect businesses that produce and supply energy-related products such as windows and insulation.
Energy labelling requirements apply to specific electric mains-operated household appliances. This includes household appliances that businesses use. If you manufacture or sell certain household electrical equipment within the European Union, you must clearly label your products with their energy efficiency rating. This helps consumers to make a better informed decision.
This guide explains who is affected by the energy labelling and ecodesign of energy-related product requirements and what you have to do to comply.
Additional resources
Video Case Study: IRT Surveys
Which products need energy efficiency labelling
If you manufacture or sell certain household electrical equipment you must label it with its energy efficiency rating. Known as the European Energy Label (EEL), household electrical products that you must label include:
- Air conditioing equipment
- Dishwashers
- Domestic ovens and range hoods
- Electric ovens*
- Lamps (directional, household and fluorescent)
- Refrigeration appliances
- Space heaters
- Televisions
- Tumble driers
- Vacuum cleaners
- Washer/driers
- Washing machines
- Water heaters
- Water and space heaters - solar devices
- Temperature controls for space heaters
EEL labels must show how energy efficient the appliance is and how much electricity the product uses in kilowatt hours. Ratings run from A-G, with A+++ best (a green label) and G worst (a red label). Categories A+, A++ and A+++ distinguish particularly energy-saving products.
While EEL labelling is only compulsory for some domestic products at the moment, the scheme is set to grow - adding boilers and vacuum cleaners, for example - so you should consider fulfilling the scheme's requirements from the start of product design.
*You do not need to label certain ovens including:
- portable ovens weighing under 18 kilograms, provided they are not designed for built-in installations
- microwave ovens and microwave combination ovens
- ovens with a cavity width and depth of less than 250 millimetres, or that are less than 120 millimetres high
- ovens without adjustable temperature control.
Further information
Read the detailed guidance from the National Measurement Office (NMO) on the GOV.UK website.
GOV.UK: Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation
GOV.UK: Placing energy related products on the market
GOV.UK: The energy labelling of products
GOV.UK: Saving energy through better products and appliances
Requirements for labelling energy efficiency rating
If you manufacture or sell certain household electrical appliances you must label your products clearly with their energy efficiency rating so that consumers can make better informed decisions. See the page in this guideline: Energy labelling: which products does it apply to?
If you hire out electrical equipment, run hire purchase schemes or sell products using methods such as mail order, catalogue or the internet, you must provide your customers with the equipment's energy efficiency rating.
You do not need to provide an energy efficiency rating for second-hand goods.
You may not need to label your products if they are exempt from the regulations. Exemptions are based on the size and power rating of the equipment. You can find details of these exemptions in the relevant energy information regulations. See the page in this guideline on energy labelling legislation
What energy information must you provide?
If you supply household electrical appliances, you must provide information about the energy consumption of the appliance in the relevant language on request. You must make this information available for at least five years after production of the appliance has stopped.
If you sell household electrical appliances you must display the product's energy consumption clearly, such as how much electricity the product uses in kilowatt hours. This information is for customers who visit your retail outlet or who could buy goods from you through mail order, the internet or other means.
Who enforces energy labelling?
The National Measurement Office has been appointed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as the market surveillance authority for the UK.
Read the detailed guidance from the National Measurement Office (NMO) on the GOV.UK website.
GOV.UK: Placing energy related products on the market
Further information
GOV.UK: Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation
Eco-design: what does it apply to?
If you manufacture certain energy-related products you must take account of environmental aspects in the design and development of the products.
If you import or supply certain energy-related products you must ensure that the product meets the specific requirements for the type of product.
Current eco-design requirements
Ecodesign regulations have been agreed for:
- air conditioning
- battery chargers and external power supplies
- boilers
- circulators
- domestic dishwashers
- domestic lighting (phase one)
- domestic lighting, phase two - reflectors and luminaries
- domestic refrigerators and freezers
- domestic washing machines
- electric motors
- fans for ventilation (non-domestic)
- imaging equipment
- personal computers, laptops and monitors
- domestic fans
- set-top boxes
- standby and off-mode functions
- televisions
- tumble driers
- tertiary lighting - public street lighting and office lighting
- vacuum cleaners
- washer/driers
- water heaters
- water pumps
Each category is regulated by a separate European Union (EU) implementing regulation. This sets requirements that the products must meet to be placed on the EU market.
The deadlines for meeting the design requirements vary depending on the product. You can find the timescales in the relevant ecodesign regulation. See the page in this guideline on ecodesign of energy-related products legislation.
Further information
Read the detailed guidance from the National Measurement Office (NMO) on the GOV.UK website.
GOV.UK: Placing energy related products on the market
GOV.UK: The energy labelling of products
GOV.UK: Saving energy through better products and appliances
EUROPA: Ecodesign and Energy Labelling
Eco-Innovation Observatory: A guide to eco-innovation for SMEs
Ecodesign requirements
If you manufacture, supply or import certain energy-related products for sale you must ensure that your products meet the technical design requirements that apply.
The requirements depend on the type of product. Each product category is regulated by a separate European Union implementing regulation. The regulations can specify:
- the products covered
- application dates
- design requirements including use of raw materials, consumption of resources by the product during its lifetime, information for users and service personnel, weight and volume, ease of disassembly and recycling, generated waste, risk of emissions or spill of substances to air, water and soil, noise, vibrations and the durability of the product
- measurement standards and methods
- conformity assessment procedures
- information requirements.
Manufacturers are required to:
- assess the environmental aspects and impact of the product
- design the product in compliance with ecodesign requirements
- carry out conformity assessment - generally by self-assessment
- affix the 'CE' mark.
Documentation for products
You must keep supporting documentation relating to a product model you manufacture or import for at least ten years after it was last manufactured. If the enforcement authority asks to see this documentation, you must provide it within ten days.
Supporting documentation includes technical details about the product and declarations of conformity.
Who enforces energy efficient design?
The National Measurement Office has been appointed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as the market surveillance authority for the UK.
Read the detailed guidance from the National Measurement Office (NMO) on the GOV.UK website.
GOV.UK: Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation
GOV.UK: Placing energy related products on the market
Further information
GOV.UK: The energy labelling of products
GOV.UK: Saving energy through better products and appliances
Eco-Innovation Observatory: A guide to eco-innovation for SMEs
Energy labelling legislation
This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of environmental legislation relating to energy labelling. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
Environmental management systems (EMS) and environmental reports
EU Regulation1369/2017: Setting a framework for energy labelling
Revokes Directive 2010/30/EU. Lays down a framework that applies to energy-related products placed on the market or put into service. It provides for the labelling of those products and the provision of standard product information regarding energy efficiency, the consumption of energy and of other resources, thus enabling customers to choose more efficient products and reduce energy consumption.
The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) Regulations 2015
Amend the 2010 and 2011 Regulations to include power transformers from 1 July 2015 and ventilation units from 1 Jan 2016
The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) Regulations 2014 No 1290 Adds a number of products into Schedule 1 of the 2010 regulations including vacuum cleaners, water heaters, domestic ovens ands range hoods and space heaters
Regulations to make provision relating to fans driven by motors with an electric input power between 125W and 500kW, directional lamps, light emitting diode lamps, household tumble driers and electrical lamps and luminaires.
The Energy Information (Amendment) Regulations 2018
These Regulations amend the Energy Information Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1524) These regulations implement Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting a framework for energy labelling. They alter the domestic enforcement regime for the labelling of energy-related products.
Energy Information Regulations SI 2011/1524 . Requires suppliers and dealers of certain energy-related products to provide energy efficiency labelling and information. The rules also introduce civil sanctions to the existing criminal sanctions for businesses that breach the regulations and a requirement for manufacturers to pay for testing if their product does not comply with ecodesign legislation.
European Community (EC) Regulation on energy labelling of televisions 1062/2010 Requires suppliers of television sets to label them, detailing their energy consumption and efficiency and other product information.
Energy Information (Dishwashers) Regulations SI 1999/1676 . Requires dishwasher suppliers to provide labels showing energy consumption, and dealers to display this information to potential buyers. There are also requirements for mail order and catalogue sales.
Energy Information (Household Refrigerators and Freezers) Regulations SI 2004/1468 . Expands energy efficiency ratings for certain appliances and requires household refrigerator and freezer suppliers to provide energy consumption information to potential buyers.
Energy Information (Washing Machines) Regulations SI 1996/600 Requires suppliers of household washing machines to provide energy consumption information on their products, and dealers to display this information to potential buyers.
.Energy Information (Washing Machines) (Amendment) Regulations SI 1997/803. Updates 1996/600 to exclude washing machines with no internal water heating capacity and defines 'enforcement action'.
Energy Information and Energy Efficiency (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations SI 2001/3142. Updates 1994/3076, 1996/600, 1996/601, 1997/1624, 1999/1676 and 1999/1517 mainly on suppliers' duties to retailers and how retailers must provide information to consumers.
Further information
You may also need to know about and comply with legislation on:
- ecodesign of energy-related products - see the page in this guideline: Ecodesign of energy-related products legislation
- RoHS - see the page on RoHS legislation in our guideline on restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
- WEEE - see the page on WEEE environmental legislation in our guide on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
- NetRegs: Legislation
Ecodesign legislation
This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of environmental legislation relating to the ecodesign of energy-related products. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
Environmental management systems (EMS) and environmental reports
The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) Regulations 2015
Amend the 2010 and 2011 Regulations to include power transformers from 1 July 2015 and ventilation units from 1 Jan 2016
Adds a number of products into Schedule 1 of the 2010 regulations including vacuum cleaners, water heaters, domestic ovens ands range hoods and space heaters
Regulations to make provision relating to fans driven by motors with an electric input power between 125W and 500kW, directional lamps, light emitting diode lamps, household tumble driers and electrical lamps and luminaires.
Inserts additional products (water pumps, air conditioners and comfort fans) into the table in Schedule 1 of the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010. Amends items in the Energy Information Regulations 2011
The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products (Amendment) Regulations 2011 No 2677
Insert two additional products (household dishwashers and household washing machines) into the table in Schedule 1 to the Ecodesign for Energy Related Products Regulations 2010. Amend the Energy Information Regulations 2011 to require persons to make technical documentation available from the time when the person placed products on the market and for 5 years after.
Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations SI 2010/2617. Puts in place a framework for setting minimum energy efficiency standards for energy-related products. Adds availability of civil sanctions as an enforcement mechanism. Introduces powers to require manufacturers to pay for cost of testing products if shown that they do not comply with legislation.
You can find a summary of the European Community (EC) Regulations on ecodesign for a range of energy related products on the europa website.
Further information
You may also need to know about and comply with legislation on:
You may also need to know about and comply with legislation on:
- ecodesign of energy-related products - see the page in this guideline: Ecodesign of energy-related products legislation
- RoHS - see the page on RoHS legislation in our guideline on restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)
- WEEE - see the page on WEEE environmental legislation in our guide on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
- NetRegs: Legislation
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