Rules for energy and tyre labels on products such as home appliances, electronic devices and tyres are set to be simplified under a new proposal from the European Commission.
The changes would keep the core purpose of labels — giving shoppers clear, comparable information — while making requirements easier for suppliers and retailers to follow, the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.
It added that some newer labels, including those for smartphones, would also include information on durability and repairability.
Under the proposal, labels could be displayed more flexibly depending on how and where a product is sold, while still being shown to customers at the point of purchase, the Commission said.
It gave examples including allowing electronic shelf displays in physical shops as an alternative to paper labels, and using a QR code in documentation or on the product for business-to-business items that are not typically seen by buyers in a shop, such as refrigerated supermarket cabinets or vending machines.
For appliances often bought through installers rather than off the shelf — such as heating, cooling or kitchen products — the label would need to be shown when a customer receives an offer, as part of the contractual documentation.
Changes for tyres and digital databases
For tyres, the Commission proposed removing the requirement for vehicle dealers to display tyre labels when selling a new car, where customers are “rarely offered a choice”. It also said it would simplify the legal process for updating tyre labels.
The Commission noted the changes would also support market surveillance using the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) — an EU database where suppliers register labelled products — by ensuring certain product details are available digitally.
Businesses and market surveillance authorities are expected to save up to €125 million a year over the next 10 years under the measures.
EU energy labels are estimated to save consumers around €100 billion every year, Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen said.
