Energy Efficiency Classes – What do they really mean?

Due to two different testing standards, confusion regarding supposedly better energy efficiency often comes up for end customers. Could this confusion possibly be intended by some companies?

We would like to initiate an open discussion regarding energy labeling. Over the past two decades, we have learned that the lower the letter grade on the energy rating label, the lower the energy consumption. This standard was initially established for household appliances and later applied to commercial cooling equipment.

As own rules are often set up, there is even less consensus. This makes it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions and increases the likelihood of making the wrong choice.

Within our industry, we have different testing standards. For beverage fridges there is ISO22044:2022, while EN ISO23953-2:2015 applies to supermarket refrigeration (and beverages). As can be seen from the table, the choice of which standard to follow significantly impacts the energy class labeling.

Our commitment is to do what's right, so the question arises: How can we continue to provide customers with transparent energy labeling to help them make informed choices?

For now, we have decided to apply the Beverage standard to all fridges below 1,000 litres volume threshold and the Supermarket standard to those above 1,000 litres in volume.

What are your thoughts on this approach? How can we further improve energy labeling to empower consumers with the information they need to make the right decisions?