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New EU energy label for smartphones and slate tablets

The EU energy label gives consumers a chance to compare devices’ energy efficiency prior to making a purchasing decision and thus helps them save cash. It can already be found on illuminants, washing machines, TV and heating devices. On 20 June, it will also be introduced for smartphones and slate tablets.

The new label for smartphones and slate tablets provides not only information on the device’s energy efficiency, but also its durability and repairability. This means that, for the first time, consumers have a chance to look out for durable products and save money in this way. At the same time, longevity also helps conserve resources. The label is designed to encourage producers to develop durable products. 

Smartphones and slate tablets are the first product groups to boast information on the device’s ‘repairability class’ on the EU energy label, in addition to its energy efficiency class (A to G).

@ BMWE

^{What the symbols on the new labels mean:} 

A good mark of repairability does not necessarily mean that consumers can do the repairs themselves. But professions, including those offering their services in repair cafés (in German only) can often quickly do the repairs at a low cost.

The repairability classes are based on a repairability index, which can be found on the product data sheet and offers uniform criteria for the assessment of all products of a certain group. For smartphones, these criteria include how difficult devices are to disassemble (number of steps), how they are fixed together (e.g. glue, clamps, screws), what tools are needed (best rating: none), the extent to which spare parts are available, the availability of software updates over time (security, correction, functional updates), and repair information (availability, cost).

Ratings apply either to entire products or to neuralgic, key components such as displays.

^{EU energy labels help consumers save several hundred euros in annual energy costs}

Since the mid-1990s, there has been a pan-EU energy label for a wide range of products including washing machines, TV sets and refrigerators. The latest version of this was introduced in 2021 (as we reported at the time (in German only)). Energy efficiency classes and information on product characteristics such as electricity and water consumption or noise profiles allow for an informed comparison between different devices. And using this opportunity pays off, as more energy-efficient devices can save consumers several hundred euros in annual energy costs.

On the EU energy label, A is reserved for the most energy-efficient products, whereas G is assigned to the least efficient ones. There are additional symbols informing consumers about product characteristics such as capacities, screen diagonals, noise profiles, or water consumption. A QR code takes consumers to the European product database (EPREL), which offers additional detailed product information free of charge.