Energy

How do I read the energy label on a washing machine or fridge?

Short answer

Since 1 March 2021 fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and TVs use a stricter A to G scale. More than 90 % used to be in A+ to A+++.

Old vs. new label: The old and the new label side by side, with the message 'not comparable' and the date 1 September 2021. — **Old vs. new label** — The old and the new label side by side, with the message 'not comparable' and the date 1 September 2021. (The text inside the figure is in Dutch.)

Explanation

Because of the rescaling, a new label C is often more efficient than an old A+. The label also shows annual consumption in kWh and a QR code linking to the European database EPREL. Compare appliances on kWh per year at equal capacity.

Rules of thumb

Before rescaling, more than 90 % of appliances were in A+ to A+++. [SW-S07]
New A–G scale for 4 product groups since 1 March 2021. [SW-S07]
Scan the QR code for the full product sheet. [SW-S07]

Pitfalls

Old and new labels are not comparable. [SW-S07]

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

energielabel wasmachine koelkast EPREL

Read also

General information, not personal advice. Check the source and reference date.

Sources

SW-S07 New EU energy labels applicable from 1 March 2021 (IP/21/818) — Europese Commissie, persbericht (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.