Consumer products: Market Transformation Programme
The Market Transformation Programme (MTP) supports sustainable consumption and production, in particular policies and delivery programmes which encourage competition and innovation in the environmental performance of traded goods and services. It facilitates the delivery of effective Europe-wide standards via measures such as mandatory energy labelling, mandatory energy efficiency requirements and voluntary industry initiatives.
- www.mtprog.com
- For general enquiries email: info@mtprog.com
An advisory group (MTAG) advises Defra on the MTP's direction, operation and management: Notes of Advisory Group meetings
- MTP consultations
- Mandatory energy labelling
- Mandatory energy efficiency requirements
- Ecodesign requirements
- Voluntary industry initiatives
- Energy Star
MTP consultations
On 5 December 2007 the Government published, through the Market Transformation Programme a series of consultation papers that set out its analysis of how the performance of energy using products will need to improve between now and 2020, including proposals for product standards and targets to phase out the least efficient products. This Consultation is now closed and the Consultation Responses along with the accompanying Policy Briefs can be found on the MTP website www.mtprog.com. Also published on the MTP website is a Policy Analysis and Projections document which sets out in detail MTP’s evidence base at 31 March 2008.
The product standards set out in the MTP documents guide our priorities for European action and for voluntary commitments we are seeking from UK retailers, manufacturers and service providers to bring forward more energy efficient products. These will be updated annually, as announced in the Energy White Paper in May 2007.
Mandatory energy labelling
Energy labels provide information to end-users about the energy consumption and performance of domestic fridges and freezers, washing machines, electric tumble dryers, combined washer-dryers, dishwashers, lamps, air conditioners and electric ovens.
Defra has produced a leaflet on energy labels for consumers and guidance notes for businesses and enforcement authorities - see below:
- Energy labels
- Guidance notes on the various energy information regulations relating to the energy labelling of household products (PDF 600 KB) - updated February 2008
Mandatory energy efficiency requirements
These requirements, under which minimum performance standards are set for the energy consumed by products while in use, have resulted in the removal of inefficient boilers, domestic fridges & freezers and fluorescent lamp ballasts from the market.
A "lamp ballast" is the generic term used for electrical or electronic components which are required to control the current passing through fluorescent discharge tubes. These are essential components of all functional fluorescent light fittings and can take a variety of forms. They dissipate energy and can affect the light output efficiency of the fluorescent tube itself.Ecodesign requirements
In addition to the energy consumed by products while in use, these requirements set minimum performance standards for the energy consumed in the manufacture of energy-using products, and in the eventual disposal of such products. Directive 2005/32/EC, which aims to promote sustainable development through providing a framework for the setting of such requirements before energy-using products are placed on the market, was transposed in the UK on 11 August 2007. Defra has produced guidance notes on the transposing statutory instrument for businesses and enforcing authorities:
- Guidance notes on the Eco-design for Energy-using Products Regulations 2007 (PDF 50 KB), updated August 2007
The existing mandatory energy efficiency requirements covering inefficient boilers, domestic fridges & freezers and fluorescent lamp ballasts (see above) are deemed to be implementing measures within the framework of Directive 2005/32/EC. The European Commission is presently developing proposals for additional new implementing measures.
Voluntary industry initiatives
Agreements with product manufacturers have resulted in improvements to the energy performance of digital TV services, external power supplies, televisions and DVD players; and the removal of inefficient domestic washing machines and dishwashers from the market.
November 2007: Joan Ruddock, Minister for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Waste hosted a high-level summit with UK retailers, the British Retail Consortium and energy suppliers in November 2007 to discuss the Government’s ambition to improve the efficiency performance of consumer electronics, to phase out the least efficient products and to promote energy efficient choices to consumers. To facilitate the delivery of these standards, the Market Transformation Programme has produced the Red/Green Calculator Tool. The Red/Green Calculator enables retailers to test, easily, if individual products or a basket of goods would meet current or future Government efficiency targets.
September 2007: the Secretary of State recently announced a voluntary initiative that will see energy efficient light bulbs replace their least efficient equivalents on shop shelves over the next four years. This is being led by major retailers and energy suppliers and is backed by the major light bulb manufacturers.
Energy Star
This voluntary scheme aims to promote energy efficient office equipment such as personal computers, monitors, fax machines, scanners, photocopiers and printers.
- Further information is available on the European Commission's website.
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Page last modified: 01 February 2008