Black Friday: Four in five consumers now look at energy efficiency labels when buying a new appliance amid bills crisis
Four in five consumers (81%) now look energy efficiency labels when buying a new appliance as more households try to take control of their energy bills[1]
However, one in three consumers (32%) say they don’t understand the labels[2] while one in seven (14%) don’t look at all[1]
Confusion reigns as new A to G system is rolled out, but shops are still selling appliances rated A+, A++ and A+++ under the old system
A typical A++ rated tumble dryer would cost £35 a year to run, compared to £198 a year for a less-efficient appliance — with the most efficient only taking 18 months to pay for itself[3]
One in ten consumers (12%) don’t know which appliances or households habits use the most energy[4]
To help households understand how much energy their home appliances use, Uswitch.com has launched free mobile app Utrack.
Four in five consumers (80%) now look at energy efficiency labels when buying a new appliance, as more households try to take control of their energy bills[1], according to new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison service.
As millions of consumers look forward to Black Friday sales, research reveals there can be big variations in how long more efficient appliances take to pay for themselves in energy savings[3], making these labels especially important for consumers to compare.
There is still a lot of public confusion about what energy efficiency labels show, with one in three consumers (32%) saying they don’t understand them[2].
Confusion has been made worse by the introduction of a new labelling system that ranks appliances from A to G. However, many shops are still selling devices evaluated under the old system, which includes A+, A++ and A+++.
Uswitch compared the running costs of the most and least energy efficient appliances. A typical A+ rated oven could cost £85.63 to run for a year, an extra £11.17 annually compared to £96.80 for an A rated oven. With the most efficient oven costing £110 more to buy, it would take nearly ten years for the more expensive appliance to pay for itself in energy savings at the current unit rates[3].
In comparison, one brand selling fridge-freezers offered an A-rated appliance and an F-rated one both listed at exactly the same price. However, the F-rated fridge-freezer would cost £97.92 a year to run, compared to £36.72 for the most efficient appliance — highlighting the importance of checking the energy efficiency labels[3].
Yet one in seven consumers (14%) do not look at energy efficiency labels when buying a new device or appliance[1].
For those who do check, the labels can have a big influence on purchasing decisions, with seven in ten consumers (71%) buying the most energy efficient appliances they can afford. One in ten (15%) say they buy the most efficient appliances they can, regardless of the cost[5].
Confusion remains about which household appliances cost the most to run, with one in ten consumers (12%) not knowing which appliances or household habits use the most energy[4]. Despite this, more than half (54%) are actively seeking information to help them understand how to reduce their energy usage[2].
To help households understand and adapt their energy use, Uswitch.com has launched its free mobile app Utrack.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Anyone in need of a new household appliance this Black Friday will be paying close attention to the price tag — but these days it’s just as important to check the energy efficiency label.
“You might save yourself a hundred pounds by getting a budget appliance, but you could be left paying a hefty energy bill as some devices can cost five times as much to run as their more energy efficient alternatives.
“How quickly a more efficient appliance pays for itself depends on the product, but sometimes low-energy devices can cost the same as gadgets that will run up three times the energy bill.
“At a time when money is tight, taking the time to make a simple calculation could save you money in the long run or, alternatively, stop you from overspending on a device that will never pay for itself.
“Although it is great to see that so many households are investing the time in checking energy efficiency labels, more needs to be done to explain how they work, as a third of people still find them confusing.”
Track your energy usage with Utrack by Uswitch here.
Notes
Research conducted online by Opinium, 2nd November to 7th November 2022, among 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative.
1. Respondents were asked ‘Do you look at the energy efficiency label when you buy a new appliance or electronic device for your home?’ 81% said yes, 14% said no.
2. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the below statements do you agree or disagree with?’ 68% said ‘I understand the energy efficiency labels of appliances’, 20% said ‘I’m not aware of energy efficiency labels and didn’t know they existed’, 54% said ‘I’m actively seeking information to help me understand how to reduce my energy usage’
3. Uswitch compared appliances from the same brand with the highest and lowest energy efficiency labels. A. Oven energy use measured in kWh/use. B. Dishwasher and washing machine energy use measured in kWh/100 cycles. C. Tumble dryer and fridge/freezer energy use measured in kWh/annum. D. TV energy use measured in kWh/1,000 hours. *Assumes 365 uses of oven per year, two uses of dishwasher and washing machine per week, and average household TV viewing of 187 minutes per day. Full details of models available on request.
4. Respondents were asked ‘How does an appliance’s energy efficiency rating affect your purchasing decision?’ 14% said ‘I don’t consider energy efficiency at all when buying an appliance’, 71% said ‘I buy the most energy efficient appliance I can for my budget’, 15% said ‘I buy the most energy efficient appliance, regardless of upfront cost’.
5. Respondents were asked ‘How confident do you feel about understanding your home energy usage?’ 20% said ‘Very confident - I know exactly how much I use and which appliances or behaviours use the most energy’, 63% said ‘Moderately confident - I have some idea of which appliances use a lot of energy’, 12% said ‘Not confident - I don’t know which appliances or behaviours use the most energy’.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.