Understanding the EU energy label

In short: When you buy electrical appliances, the EU energy label shows at a glance how efficiently a device uses electricity. The scale runs from A (very efficient) to G (not very efficient).

In more detail: Since 2021 a rescaled label without plus classes such as A+++ has applied to many product groups, including fridges, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions and lamps. Further product groups are being moved to the new label step by step.

In detail

• New scale: When the label was rescaled, the classes were made stricter. An appliance that used to be A+++ may now only reach C or D, for example, without having become any worse.
• Room at the top: At first the top class A was deliberately almost empty, so that future, even more economical appliances have space.
• Consumption figure: The number below the letter is often more important, such as a fridge’s annual consumption in kilowatt hours or a washing machine’s consumption per 100 wash cycles.
• Further information: Depending on the appliance, the label also shows capacity, water consumption, noise level in decibels or programme duration.
• QR code: The code leads to the European product database EPREL, where the official product data are stored.
• Mind the size: A large appliance in a good class can use more electricity in absolute terms than a small one in a middle class. The size should therefore match what you actually need.
• Estimating costs: Annual consumption in kWh multiplied by your own electricity price per kWh gives the approximate electricity cost per year. This lets you compare appliances over their service life.
• Required in shops: Retailers must display the label clearly for the products concerned, both in store and online.
• Context: The label helps you choose; how much is actually used also depends on how the appliance is used (stromsparen-bei-haushaltsgeraeten, led-beleuchtung-und-energieeffizienz).