General topics

When has the replacement of the old label by the new label to be arranged for household appliances and TVs which are placed on the market before and after November 2020?

• The replacement has to be arranged within 14 working days as of 1st March 2021. The 14 days are specified as working days only including Monday to Friday but no Saturdays, Sundays or national holidays. The new labels must not be shown in physical stores and online shops before 1.3.2021.

• The re concerning timing of the replacement are the same for physical stores and for online shops.

Do the labels included in the packaging of products which are already in the stocks of retailers also have to be replaced?

• The dealers only need to display the rescaled label in stores and online shops from the date the new label starts to apply. No modification of the content of packaging is re for units in the retailers’ stock. Thus old labels and product information sheets in the packaging do not have to be replaced.

• However, concerning light sources, the dealer shall replace the existing label by a sticker with the rescaled label of the same size on the packaging or attached to the package, within 18 months after 1st September 2021, i.e. by 28th February 2023.

May visual advertisements or catalogues with the new labels already be shown before 1st March respectively 1st September 2021?

• Any visual advertisement for a specific rescaled product containing its new energy efficiency class, may not become public before the application date of the new regulation (1st March or 1st September 2021 depending on the product). Catalogues can be prepared but not disseminated before these dates. The same applies for advertisement on the Internet.

For the product groups household appliances, TVs and electronic displays: which products are exempted from relabelling with the rescaled label and until when are such products allowed to be sold by retailers?

• A dealer who is unable to obtain a rescaled label for units already in its stock because the supplier has ceased its activities is allowed to sell those units exclusively with the non-rescaled label until 30th November 2021. After this date, units shall not be in stores and online shops and must not be sold anymore.

• If no units belonging to the same model or e models are placed on the market after 1st November 2020 and if the old (non-rescaled) and the new (rescaled) label require different testing of the model, the supplier is exempt from the obligation to supply a rescaled label for units placed on the market before 1 November 2020. In that case, the dealer shall be permitted to sell those units exclusively with the non-rescaled label until 30th November 2021. After this date, units shall not be in stores or online shops and must not be sold anymore.

Internet or distance selling including also visual advertisement and promotional material for rescaled product groups

What specific re have to be considered for internet and distance selling?