The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) is calling on the Government to urgently scrap a flawed new labelling scheme that will hit the UK appliance industry with an estimated £28 million upfront bill, a cost that will inevitably be passed on to Welsh households during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The proposed UK Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MWELS) will force manufacturers of ‘wet’ appliances such as washing machines, washer-dryers and dishwashers, to display a new water efficiency label.

However, water consumption is already clearly displayed on the existing, mandatory GB energy label. AMDEA warns that introducing a second, visually similar label using completely different calculation methods will not only cost businesses millions but will actively confuse shoppers across Wales.

New nationally representative consumer research commissioned by AMDEA reveals that Wales has one of the highest rates of label overload in the UK:

· More than half (56%) of Welsh consumers say there is already so much information on appliances that they find it hard to know what to focus on, above the UK national average of 50%

· Only 31% usually read all the labels and information provided when buying a new appliance

· A clear majority (70%) believe new labels should only be added if they replace an old one to keep things simple, the highest proportion of any region in the UK

The research further shows that 52% of Welsh consumers have already changed how they use their appliances in response to rising costs and 68% cite price as their top purchase driver, a clear signal that affordability, not more labelling, is what matters most to Welsh households.

Stefan Hay, Chief Executive Officer of AMDEA, said:"This proposed regulation is the very definition of unnecessary red tape. The Government is forcing manufacturers to print millions of redundant labels and segregate stock for the GB market, creating a massive £28 million logistical nightmare.

“At a time when household budgets are stretched to the limit and manufacturers are trying to compete in a difficult trading environment, adding millions in regulatory costs that will inevitably trickle down to the consumer is completely unacceptable.

"Consumers are already overwhelmed by the amount of information thrown at them. Our research clearly shows they want simpler, consolidated information, not a proliferation of contradictory stickers. The existing GB energy label has successfully driven massive improvements in water and energy efficiency for decades. Duplicating it with a flawed, conflicting metric will only undermine consumer trust and create confusion."

Beyond the £28 million initial burden and an estimated £5 million in ongoing annual costs, AMDEA analysis of several thousand dishwasher models shows the proposed MWELS metric is fundamentally flawed.

Because the scheme calculates efficiency based on ‘litres per place setting’, it structurally favours large, full-size appliances and unfairly penalises the slimline, compact and tabletop models often used by smaller households or those with limited kitchen space.

Applying the MWELS label in Great Britain also creates a direct legal conflict with Northern Ireland. Retained EU law, which still applies in NI, explicitly prohibits the use of additional labels that mimic the energy label to prevent consumer confusion.

AMDEA is urgently calling on Defra and the Minister for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy MP, to review the scope of the MWELS Regulations and exclude washing machines, washer-dryers and dishwashers before the legislation is laid before Parliament in May.

For more information on AMDEA, visit https://amdea.org.uk/