The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation in October 2023 into claims made by Worcester Bosch about its boilers, and the manufacturer has agreed to change the claims it makes about them1. The CMA was concerned that, by stressing that its boilers were "hydrogen-blend ready" and able to run on a blend of up to 20% hydrogen, Worcester Bosch could mislead consumers1.
According to the CMA's findings, the claims risked leading consumers to believe that the boilers were unique or special, whereas most boilers on the market can already run on a 20% hydrogen blend1. The CMA also found the claims could lead consumers to believe, falsely, that installing these boilers would reduce their carbon footprint and "future-proof" their heating system, when Worcester Bosch boilers are the same as other boilers on the market in this respect1. The CMA further found that Worcester Bosch was in danger of misleading consumers because its claims failed to make clear that it is not yet certain whether hydrogen will be used for home heating systems at all1.
Worcester Bosch has committed to withdrawing or changing all its marketing material1.
"Following an investigation opened in October 2023 by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Worcester Bosch has agreed to change the claims it makes about its boilers."
The CMA's work on related guidance is separate. RECC has welcomed draft guidance for Trader Recommendation Platform operators produced by the CMA, and in its consultation response urged the CMA to make clearer that platforms regarding themselves as lead generators rather than TRPs are included if they implicitly make trader recommendations, and that operators publishing only reviews and testimonials still have a duty to ensure these are genuine1. The CMA is expected to publish the final version of the guidance in November 20241.
Why it matters for households
The claim at issue concerns what a boiler can do now, not what it might do later. A boiler described as able to run on a blend of up to 20% hydrogen is, on the CMA's reading, no different in that respect from most boilers already on sale1. For a household weighing up a replacement, the practical point is that a hydrogen-blend claim does not by itself indicate a distinct capability, and it does not establish that hydrogen will be used for home heating at all1. The hydrogen-ready boilers guide sets out what the claim means, and the wider boilers and home heating guide covers how the market is regulated. Households comparing named brands can read the Worcester Bosch boilers and Greenstar range explainer.
What happens next
Worcester Bosch has committed to withdrawing or changing all its marketing material1. The CMA is expected to publish the final version of its Trader Recommendation Platform guidance in November 20241. No date has been reported for the conclusion of the Worcester Bosch investigation itself.
Sources1 cited
- news_343_RECC-Autumn-Newsletter-2024-Final.pdf, recc.org.uk