The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero opened a consultation on raising product standards for household tumble dryers at midday on 17 July 2025. It ran to 11:59pm on 14 August 2025 and sought views on updated ecodesign and energy labelling requirements for the appliances1.
The consultation proposed raising the Minimum Energy Performance Standards for tumble dryers sold on the GB market. In the department's words, this would "phase out less efficient air-vented, gas-fired and condenser household tumble dryers and enable only the most efficient heat pump household tumble dryers"1. It also proposed stricter requirements for products in off-mode or standby mode, and raising the minimum condensation efficiency standard to 80%, which the department said would "protect consumers from products which have a risk of causing damp and mould, and will reduce potential structural damage to buildings"1.
Further proposals covered circular economy measures to promote repair and maintenance, including improvements to technical documentation and new requirements on the availability of spare parts. On labelling, the consultation set out reforming the current energy efficiency and condensation efficiency scales and introducing new acoustic airborne noise emission and repairability index scales1. It also proposed aligning with EU regulations on household tumble dryers1.
The consultation documents included Options Assessments and a draft Statutory Instrument1. The department said the consultation may be of interest to manufacturers and their authorised representatives, importers, retailers, trade bodies, consumer and environmental groups, other civil society organisations, and consumers who may be impacted1.
Why it matters for households
A tumble dryer is one of the more energy-intensive appliances in a home, so the efficiency of the models on sale affects running costs and how much electricity a household draws from the grid. The proposals would narrow the GB market to heat pump dryers, which the department describes as the most efficient type1. The 80% minimum condensation efficiency proposal is aimed at products the department links to a risk of damp and mould and potential structural damage to buildings1. The repairability index and spare parts requirements bear on how long an appliance can be kept working rather than replaced. The rules sit within the wider framework of energy labels and ecodesign rules for household appliances, and the process follows the usual route for energy consultations and how policy is made.
What happens next
The consultation closed on 14 August 20251. The page records that a government response was published on 19 March 2026, and that a link to the Regulations was added on 24 March 20261. The response states that the government will proceed with new Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations for household tumble dryers in Great Britain, broadly as consulted upon, with a small number of refinements based on stakeholder feedback1. The department received 12 responses from a broad range of stakeholders, including private individuals, manufacturers, retailers, manufacturer and retailer trade associations, academia and a consultancy1.
The refinements listed in the response are:
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Transition period | Extended to 10 months |
| Rescaled energy label | Mandatory from the end of the 10 month transition period, including the repairability icon |
| Post-implementation review | Date set at 9 December 2032 |
| Drafting | Minor issues corrected to bring GB requirements into line with EU Regulations 2023/2533 and 2023/2534 |
The response links to The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Household Tumblers) Regulations 2026 and a 2026 Amendment Regulations on the Legislation website1. The consultation page does not state the commencement date of the new requirements, and no date for the transition period to begin has been reported1.