Did you know that buying the cheapest product isn't always the cheapest option in the longer term? How much energy or water does the appliance use? How long does it last before it stops working? Can it be repaired? These are just some of the factors that can make all the difference over a product’s lifetime.
Energy-efficient products drive progress, are kinder to the environment and save money.
Here are five things you should know about energy-efficient products:
1. Energy-efficient products save consumers money
We want energy to be more affordable. Thanks to EU ecodesign and energy labelling rules, products meet high energy efficiency standards, making them cheaper for consumers over a product’s lifetime. These rules are estimated to save every EU household almost €320 on average per year (2024 figures). This amounts to about 8% saved on energy bills!
We save energy by replacing old, inefficient appliances with today’s more modern, efficient, ones. This goes for household appliances but can also reduce energy costs for industry. Take the example of electric motors, which account for 70% of total electricity consumption by industry in the EU.
The EU-MORE Project aims to speed up the replacement of old, inefficient electric motors with newer, modern ones that consume less energy and last longer. By replacing all old, inefficient motors, we could reduce electricity demand by 25 Twh/year. This is half of Portugal’s entire power consumption in 2023!
To be clear: Nobody is forced to replace their old, or current, appliances; the EU rules only apply to new products sold.
2. Energy-efficient products encourage innovation
Technological advances can continuously make appliances and products more efficient. Tumble dryers sold in Europe increasingly use technologies like heat pumps that only consume about half the energy of more conventional tumble dryers.
EU laws set high standards that drive innovation. Take lighting as an example. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are being used more and more and are now one of the most efficient technologies for lighting our homes. LED lights use 90% less energy than the incandescent lamps they replaced!
Generally, the European Union only sets the performance requirements; it is for manufacturers to choose how, and with which technologies, to produce a compliant product. To ensure a level playing field, all producers, both inside, and outside, the EU, have to comply with the rules.
3. Energy-efficient products perform well
Energy-efficient products have the same - or even better - level of performance than more ‘conventional’ products, but energy-efficient products often use advanced technologies like sensors that enable a product to adapt its performance level and not run full steam when this is not needed. These products also have automatic shut-down and energy saving modes, which reduce energy use without compromising their effectiveness.
By 2030, the energy used by devices on ‘standby’ mode could be reduced by an equivalent of 2 years’ worth of electricity consumed by the whole of Malta.
4. Energy-efficient products help us reduce our carbon footprint
By switching to cleaner energy sources, we are not only protecting the environment, but also bringing down energy prices and being less dependent on imports.
The EU’s energy system still relies, to a large degree, on polluting fossil fuels. In 2024, almost a quarter of electricity in the EU was powered by fossil fuels, which are mainly imported and are expensive.
While electricity in Europe is increasingly produced from renewable energy, it still incurs costs to produce, transmit, distribute and store.
As we continue to roll out renewables, it is still important to use the power we consume in the most economical way possible. Every kilowatt-hour saved is one we do not need to import, subsidise, produce and transport. This is why EU rules require companies in the EU to produce appliances that are less power hungry.
The results are clear. EU energy labels and eco-design rules are estimated to save around 131 million tonnes of oil equivalent of energy by 2030.
5. Energy-efficient products with energy labels offer consumers clear information
You may have seen the green to red coloured 'A-to-G' energy labels on appliances in shops.
They give clear information on the amount of energy they use so that consumers can make an informed choice when buying them.The label applies to several types of common products. ranging from everyday household appliances, smart phones to lighting and tyres.
In a recent EU poll, three quarters of respondents said the label influenced their choice of appliance in the last five years.
The labels also incentivise manufacturers to continue to develop technologies, offering a wide range of energy-saving appliances and, in turn, giving consumers more choice and saving them money. Household refrigerators are a good example, where the electricity they use has more than halved in 30 years.
The EU energy label is not just used across the EU, but also in some neighbouring countries like Norway or Turkey. Since its introduction in 1979, the label has been copied, or has inspired, similar labels in many parts of the world.
Conclusion
EU energy-efficiency rules help consumers save money; help industry to innovate; and help the EU reach its climate and energy targets. EU rules on ecodesign and eco-labelling, for instance, limit the amount of energy products use or the environmental impact they make.
Energy-efficient products also help to lower energy bills, which is the main goal of the Affordable Energy Action Plan and the 7-point plan to reduce energy prices.
Making products and appliances less power-hungry also eases the strain on electricity grids and investment costs.
Ultimately, the most energy-efficient practice is to consume less energy where we can!
Source list for the article
Introduction
Energy-efficient products save consumers money
Methodology for ecodesign of energy-related products (MEErP)
EUropean MOtor REnovation initiative (EU-MORE Project)
2025 Ecodesign Impact Accounting Material and environment report
Energy-efficient products are important even as our energy sources are becoming greener
- Eurostat news: Electricity from renewable sources reaches 47% in 2024 (19/03/2025)
- EMBER report: European electricity review 2025 (23/01/2025)
- Commission Communication on 2040 climate target and path to 2050 (06/02/2024)
Energy-efficient products offer consumers clear information
Energy labelling for safer tyres (09/12/2025)
Product list: Fridges and freezers
Conclusion
- European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL)
- Action plan for affordable energy (26/02/2025)
- 7 key actions to bring down energy prices (21/10/2025)
Details
- Publication date
- 17 December 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy