Energy and tyre labelling for retailers

Retailers of energy related products and tyres in Ireland must follow EU energy and tyre labelling regulations. Get detailed guidance to help your business comply with its obligations.

Energy labelling

Energy labels help consumers choose the most energy-efficient product on the market. This helps lower energy bills and negative impacts on the environment. Rules around energy labelling have been established through Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 and product specific regulations.

Your energy labelling obligations

When selling products in store, retailers are legally required to:

  • ensure that each relevant product on display has a clearly visible energy label e.g. placed on front or on top of each product on display (see exceptions)
  • provide a hard copy of a product information sheet at the point of sale, if it is requested.
  • cooperate with the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA) and promptly remedy any identified non-compliances

If a label or product information sheet is missing or damaged, you can ask the supplier to provide a replacement. They are obliged to provide a replacement within 5 working days of your request.

We want to support you in taking the necessary steps to ensure full compliance with the EU regulations. That's why we've developed a set of materials that will provide you with a clear understanding of the energy labelling requirements.

Here's what we have for you:

  • Guide for retailers: This comprehensive guide provides an overview of the Energy Labelling Regulations and the steps you need to take to comply with them.
  • Short training video for floor staff and store managers: This practical video offers step-by-step instructions on how to ensure that energy labels are displayed correctly.

Learn more about your obligations in our detailed guide and training video below.

In-store Guide for retailers In-store Training video for retailers

An image showing online label requirements

Products for sale online must be accompanied by an energy label and a product information sheet.

You can display the energy label and product information sheet in full, or as a nested display where the image or data is accessed by a click, mouse roll over or touch screen expansion.

The energy label and product information sheet must be displayed on all webpages where the price is displayed and the relevant product can be ordered.

This guide has been designed to outline requirements when selling energy labelled products online. It includes information on:

  • legal requirements for selling energy labelled products online
  • how to display the energy label and product information sheet
  • where to find the product information, the labels and product information sheets
  • what product types must display the EU energy labels

Learn more about your obligations in our detailed guide below.

Online Guide for retailers

Energy labelling information must also be provided when advertising.

This guide has been designed to outline energy labelling requirements for brochures and visual advertisements. It includes information on:

  • what product types must display the EU energy labels
  • types of visual advertising concerned by these rules
  • telemarketing
  • requirements for products with the old label format and with rescaled labels

Learn more about your obligations in our detailed guide below.

Following a European Court of Justice ruling in October 2023, the European Commission published a notice, in relation to the display of energy-related information within visual advertisements and technical promotional material for non-rescaled products.

The energy efficiency class and to the range of efficiency classes on the label of the product concerned must now be displayed in visual advertisements or technical promotional material, even if the delegated act applicable to the product in question does not require such a reference.

Economic operators are invited to refer to the notice and to align their advertising and promotional practices with these new requirements as soon as possible.

Additional guidance and resources (such as nested display design files) are available directly on the European Commission website.

Advertising Guide for retailers

Energy label exceptions

There are some exceptions to energy labelling rules in the retail market. These exceptions include:

  • integrated products: an energy label can be displayed on the inside of refrigerators, dishwashers or washing machines that are sold as "integrated units" as long as the label is clearly visible to the consumer when opening the integrated unit.
  • demonstration products: demonstration products like ovens used for cookery demonstrations do not require an energy label. This is only if they are not being offered for sale.
  • products sold in boxes: manufacturers must now provide the energy label on the box for TVs and monitors. Where a boxed TV or monitor is offered for sale on a shop floor without any unit displayed 'out of the box', the label printed or affixed to the box shall be made visible by the retailer.

For more information on labelling exceptions, please read SEAI's In-store Guide for retailers.

In-store Guide for retailers

If an energy label is not supplied

Suppliers must provide retailers with an appropriate, printed energy label for each applicable product upon request within 5 working days.

If a manufacturer or importer continually fails to meet this obligation, you can contact SEAI to report the non-compliant behaviour.

Report non compliance

Finding energy labels or product information sheets online

If you are not able to get a label from your supplier, you can download a product label and information sheet (fiche) from the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL). EPREL has been set up by the European Commission to support energy labelling requirements. Manufacturers and importers must register any products that require an energy label on this platform.

To find the energy label and product information sheet for a specific product:

  1. Visit https://eprel.ec.europa.eu/
  2. Search the model using its EPREL ID or its model identifier
  3. Once on the product page, you can download both the label and the product information sheet for printing or online display.

Note: scanning the QR code featured on a product's energy label will give you direct access to the product's EPREL page.

While energy labels and product information sheets are available on EPREL, SEAI would like to remind all retailers that the suppliers must provide them with an appropriate printed energy label and product information sheet within 5 working days of a request.

Rescaled energy labels

The European Commission is gradually replacing the old label format (with a blue border) with the new rescaled energy label (ranging from A to G only) for all product categories.

From the 1st of March 2021, a new energy label (ranging from A to G only) was introduced for the following products:

  • household refrigerators and freezers
  • washing machines and washer dryers
  • dishwashers
  • TVs and electronic displays
From the 1st of September 2021, a new energy label (ranging from A to G only) was been introduced for the following products:
  • lighting

The new labels make it easier for customers to access relevant information and choose the most energy efficient product within their budget range.

Learn more about the rescaled label in the video below.

Update for retailers: EU energy labels are being rescaled in 2021

Statement on the provision and display of UK Energy Labels in Ireland

SEAI has created a statement to provide clear guidance to economic operators on the provision or display of UK energy labels in the Republic of Ireland and the European Single Market. The full statement has been linked below.

Statement on the provision and display of UK Energy Labels in Ireland

Product list

Energy labelling requirements apply to the following categories of products:

Tyre labelling

Tyres account for 20% to 30% of a vehicle's fuel consumption. Choosing energy efficient tyres can result in significant fuel cost savings. EU tyre labels are used to help consumers understand which tyres are more efficient and can save energy without compromising on safety.

Tyre labels provide information on three key characteristics:

  • fuel efficiency
  • wet grip
  • external rolling noise

Tyre labelling legislation was originally introduced in 2012 under Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 and has since been updated in 2021 under Regulation (EU) 2020/740. These new rules extended to cover bus and truck tyres, and introduce options to show if the tyres are suitable for use in severe snow conditions or in extreme climatic situations.

Your obligations for tyre labelling

As a tyre retailer, you must ensure consumers have access to the tyre label before they make their purchase. In most cases, consumers do not have easy access to tyres in store. This makes it particularly important for retailers to familiarise themselves with the tyre label and performance of the tyres that they sell.

If the tyres being sold are not visible to the customer (e.g. they are stored out of sight, or sold over the internet), you must provide information on the following before the sale is made:

  • fuel efficiency class
  • wet grip class
  • external rolling noise class

For any tyres purchased (C1, C2, C3), this information must also be provided to the customer on, or with the bill.

Ensuring compliance

To be sure you are complying with EU requirements, you should always tell the customer about parameters on the label or show them the actual label before every sale is made.

If a tyre can be seen by the customer but they can't read the label because it's too far away, it's not considered to be in 'a clearly visible position'.

Guidance on tyre labelling

We have created a comprehensive guide to help you understand your responsibilities when displaying tyre labels in-store, online and in advertisements. Learn more about the EU tyre label requirements below.

Guide to EU tyre labelling

Tyre Sales

At the point of sale tyres must bear the sticker provided by suppliers in a clearly visible position. Before the sale of a tyre, the label must be shown to the customer and must be clearly displayed in immediate proximity of the tyre. In the case of Telesales, the tyre label information should be verbally conveyed as part of the sales process.

Online retailers are also required to display the tyre label information on any tyres that are advertised digitally.

Tyre label exceptions

Some exceptions apply to certain types of tyres, including:

  • retreaded tyres
  • professional off road tyres
  • racing tyres
  • studded tyres
  • temporary use spare tyres
  • tyres designed to be fitted on vehicles registered for the first time before the 1st of October 1990

If a tyre label is not supplied

Suppliers must provide retailers with an appropriate, printed tyre label for each applicable product upon request within 5 working days.

If a manufacturer or importer continually fails to meet this obligation, you can contact SEAI to report the non-compliant behaviour.

Report non compliance

Finding tyre labels online

If you are not able to get a label from your supplier, you can download a product label from the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL). EPREL has been set up by the European Commission to support EU labelling requirements. Manufacturers and importers must register any products requiring that require an energy label on this platform.

To find the tyre label and product information sheet for a specific product:

  1. Visit https://eprel.ec.europa.eu/
  2. Search the model using its EPREL ID or its model identifier

Once on the product page, you can download both the label and the product information sheet for printing or online display.

Legal information

Tyre labelling is on the Irish statue books under:

Documents and useful links

Have questions?

Have a questions about energy labels or need to get advice? Reach out to a member of the team to let us know about non-complaint product on the market.

Call: 01 8082100

Email: [email protected]