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May 2026
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At the beginning of the month, the consortium partners of the EU project EPREL Services from across Europe met in Athens for their 4th plenary meeting. The central topic was a new quality assurance tool that automates and continuously checks entries in the EU's product database for energy labels (EPREL) for gaps, inconsistencies, and registration errors. This provides suppliers with specific instructions for correcting their data.

In parallel, progress is also being made on the planned EPREL app, which will link EPREL data with price, availability, and operating costs, thus supporting consumers, retailers, and public procurement agencies in purchasing energy-efficient products.

February 2026
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We are pleased to announce that vLabs has been selected as the winning contractor for the development of the new EPREL Services Web Application. Following the successful completion of the tender procedure, the project kick‑off meeting has already taken place, marking the start of an exciting new collaboration.

Together with vLabs, we will now begin shaping a user‑friendly platform that enables consumers, retailers, procurers and policymakers to the high‑quality product information from EPREL. We look forward to a productive and inspiring partnership and to delivering a tool that supports more energy‑efficient and sustainable product choices.

November 2025
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How can consumers, retailers, and procurement professionals find the most energy-efficient products in Europe?

The European Product Database for Energy Labelling (EPREL) plays a key role in this.

At the third plenary meeting of the EPREL Services project in Prague, we worked with our partners to make this database more user-friendly and reliable. A new web application is planned to facilitate access to EPREL data. In parallel, we are developing tools and processes to improve data quality.

Many thanks to our partner organization SEVEn, The Energy Efficiency Center, for their hospitality in Prague, and to CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency for their support under the EU LIFE Programme.

February 2025
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More than 90% of the approximately 2,500 consumers surveyed in ten EU countries use online information as a basis for decision-making when purchasing appliances — this is the finding of a new survey conducted as part of the EU-funded EPREL Services project. Nevertheless, helpful digital tools such as the European Product Database for Energy Labelling (EPREL) and QR codes on energy labels are still rarely used.

The purchase price, energy consumption, and running costs are cited as the main criteria when buying products. Depending on the product category, priorities shift: for household appliances and heating systems, energy consumption is the top concern, while for consumer electronics, price takes precedence. Warranty, repair options, and user reviews are also seen as important additional factors.

Building on these insights, a consortium of twelve European partners led by the Austrian Energy Agency is developing a new, user-friendly web application that will make EPREL data more accessible and significantly improve digital comparison options. “Consumers across Europe are motivated to make sustainable choices — but they need reliable, accessible, and understandable information to do so,” says Franz Zach, Senior Expert in Energy Economics at the Austrian Energy Agency and coordinator of the international project.