From 1 September 2021, lighting products have to be equipped with the new generation of EU energy labels. The A+++ to D scale present on current labels have to be replaced by an A to G scale and adapted to better inform consumers of the energy efficiency of such products. This change is expected to promote further reduction in energy consumption and encourage innovation in the field.
The EU energy label originally compared the energy efficiency of products on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Eventually, the original “A” was no longer sufficient to describe the most energy efficient products. Therefore, A+, A++, and even A+++ were added to the classification system. However, it has been observed that the difference between A++ and A+++ is less clear to consumers than that between A and B. Also, as a result of the placement of more energy‑efficient products on the market, the top classes on this extended scale have become overpopulated, meaning that the EU energy label no longer permits consumers to properly differentiate between various products’ energy efficiency. This has especially affected lighting products: indeed, on 1 September 2021 the European Commission noted that “more than half of LEDs are now in the A++ class”.
Light source technologies have evolved quickly in the last 15 years, with LED modules taking over a significant share of the market whilst gaining steadily in efficiency and accessibility. On 1 September 2021, the European Commission stated that “the average LED efficiency quadrupled between 2009 and 2015” and that “compared to 2010, in 2017 a typical LED lamp for household use was 75% cheaper and a typical LED lamp for offices 60% cheaper”.
