Updated EU ecodesign and energy labelling measures to reduce the energy consumption of household tumble dryers become applicable from 1 July 2025. The new rules aim to make sure that only tumble dryers meeting high energy and sustainability standards are placed on the market. With more modernised labels, consumers will be able to choose the best products for them, and manufacturers will have renewed incentives to improve their appliances.
Estimates indicate that, by 2040, this can lead to cumulative energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings of 15 TWh and 1.7 Mt CO2eq, respectively and save € 2.8 billion in consumers’ energy bills.
In practice, the energy label for household tumble dryers has been rescaled, so that the 'A' class is the best-in-the-class product (rather than 'A++' or 'A+++'), and includes a QR code which consumers can scan to access more information on the product via the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling. The new rules also include requirements concerning the availability of key spare parts and information on repairs.
From 2027, the new Energy Label will likely also include a reparability score indicating to buyers how easy the product is to repair and incentivising manufacturers to design products in a way that they can be repaired. This second stage of the modernisation of the tumble dryer label was adopted today and sent for scrutiny by the Council and European Parliament before final publication in the Official Journal.
Background
EU measures on ecodesign have been in force since 2012 and measures on energy labelling for household tumble dryers as far back as 1995. Technology has significantly evolved over the past decade, mostly thanks to the wider uptake of heat pump systems already quite common today. These clearly outperform the energy efficiency of other technologies currently on the EU market. The update of the ecodesign and energy labelling will accelerate the sale of heat pump tumble dryers to the detriment of low-performing technologies.
The new legal measures entered into force in November 2023 after a thorough consultation process and scrutiny by the co-legislators. The application of the new standards was deferred until 1 July 2025 in order to give manufacturers and retailers time to prepare for the changes. The ecodesign measures only apply to new machines, not to existing tumble dryers already placed on the market before 1 July and held in stock by retailers. New energy labels will have to be displayed also for other products. Detailed guidance for retailers is available online.
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Details
- Publication date
- 1 July 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy