New energy efficiency rules on household tumble dryers help consumers save €2.8 bn

The European Commission presented new Energy Labelling and Ecodesign rules for household tumble dryers looking to reduce energy consumption and increase product repairability. New Ecodesign measures and a new Energy Label will apply on all units placed on the market from 1 July 2025. As from the same date, only household tumble dryers based on heat pump technology will be available for sale.

In 2021, the EU launched a new energy label for a first round of electrical and electronic applications including fridges, dishwashers and washers. “This is the result of Ecodesign measures that help us become more conscious of our consumption habits and allow us to save energy and money,” said APPLiA Energy & Environment Policy Manager Giulia Zilla, highlighting the role of the Association in contributing to the development of energy labelling and ecodesign requirements. The new rules bring back the A to G scale. A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. Despite the change of scale, however, the energy consumption of products remains the same.

Estimated energy savings amount to 15 TWh and emissions are set to decrease by 1.7 million tons. 

EU rules for household tumble dryers have been in force since 2012. Today, thanks to the great technological progress made over the past decade, heat pump innovations prove to be among the most energy efficient solutions available. “The adoption of the new rules would help to further accelerate the deployment of most energy-efficient heat pump tumble dryers on the market, bringing about significant energy savings and overall reducing our environmental footprint,” explained Zilla.

New to the label is the QR-code, placed on the upper-right-hand side. By scanning the code, consumers will be pointed to the European Product Registry for Energy Labels (EPREL), an EU-wide database gathering all relevant information on the product. This ranges from the model details to dimensions, depending on the appliance. All products on the EU market have to be registered and information made available on EPREL. In order to ensure readiness of the system by the enter into force of new measures on tumble dryers, APPLiA Senior Corporate Policy Manager Candice Richaud stressed the importance for EPREL functionalities to be “fully operational” in order to allow manufacturers to upload all relevant information to the platform, “in a timely manner”. The QR code presents a clear and concise digital rating system where consumers can easily compare the energy efficiency of different products and make an informed decision, all from the comfort of their smartphone. 

The energy consumption of the product (in kWh) per cycle and per 100 cycles is also referenced on the label. This will allow you to establish a more accurate cost-of-use estimate. The lower the kWh, the less energy the product will use and the more money you will save on your energy bills. Prior to this development, only the energy consumed per annum was measured by the older labelling system. Other measurements include noise emissions, water usage, energy consumption in eco-mode, maximum load capacity, duration of programme and volumes among others. 

New rules make it easier for products to be repaired.

Another important change in the new ecodesign rules is the inclusion of elements to further enhance the reparability of household tumble dryers, such as making spare parts more easily replaceable, and ensuring that key parts, repair and maintenance information are available for end users and professional repairers as appropriate.

Ecodesign measures determine accessibility and availability of spare parts depending on the type of repair, to ensure it is carried out in full safety. Consumers can perform small repairs or maintenance tasks that would not cause permanent damage to the appliance or endanger the safety of the home. Major repairs instead require the expertise of trained professionals. Think of a condensate pump, for instance. This way, we guarantee a safe repair that saves money, extends the life of products and is good for the environment.