Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
8. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if regulations can be introduced to ensure the presence of doors on supermarket fridges in order to reduce the amount of energy required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44868/20]
View answerThe regulation of supermarket fridges falls under EU Regulation, namely Regulation (EU) 2019/2024 of 1 October 2019, laying down ecodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances with a direct sales function, and Regulation (EU) 2019/2018 with regard to energy labelling of refrigerating appliances with a direct sales function.
The Regulations apply to refrigerators with direct sales functions that will be placed on the market across the EU after March 1, 2021, setting minimum requirements for energy efficiency, and ensuring that accurate information is available regarding energy efficiency to those purchasing such appliances. The regulations are technology neutral: they do not specify the technology needed to achieve the design technical specifications. This approach is taken so as not to inhibit innovation. While the installation of doors/curtains can indeed make these products more efficient, it is not specifically stated in the Regulation that they need to be used to achieve the requirement but in many instances, manufacturers will have doors to comply with the Regulation, if it is not already the case. Over time, supermarkets will replace their stock of refrigerators and the incentive to update to more eco-friendly fridges will increase as the carbon tax increases energy costs.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2024 also provides that manufacturers, importers or authorised representatives of refrigerating appliances with a direct sales function make available spare parts for doors (e.g. door handles) to professional repairers and end-users to ensure that fridge energy consumption is minimised throughout the life time of the fridge. The combination of the saving generated by the more energy efficient new generation of fridges and pressure from customers will ensure that supermarkets rapidly replace the fridges that have no doors. Compliance of fridges with the new regulation will be the responsibility of DECC, supported by SEAI enabled by SI 2020/625.
