A new survey of 6,000 homeowners and renters from across the globe has revealed nearly 9 in 10 people ignore what's best when it comes to energy efficiency in the home, despite 80% saying they know how to use their household appliances in an energy-efficient way.
Some 87% of respondents believe energy efficiency is important and 78% take an interest in purchasing efficient products. However, half tend to ignore best practices for the use of their appliances, according to the study commissioned by the home appliance brand Beko and conducted by Euromonitor International.
Among the energy-inefficient behaviours that householders admitted to were:
- Leaving the refrigerator door open when deciding what to eat (29%)
- Leaving a freezer plugged in when it's got nothing in it (20%)
- Leaving devices on a charger for longer than they need (37%)
"Settingsphobia" -- a term coined by Beko -- is also to blame for inefficient energy practices in the home. Almost 3 in 5 (59%) people are worried they'll choose the wrong setting when using appliances, but out of fear they stick to the same, sometimes inefficient setting.
"The data gives us a fascinating insight into how attitudes towards energy efficiency are evolving across the globe," said Akin Garzanli, chief marketing officer of Turkey-based Arçelik, the owner of the Beko and Grundig brands. "While we look for ways to innovate solutions for more efficient living, it's interesting to understand how households are responding and this will help to inform us about how best we can help as a corporation."
Generation Z was shown to be one of the most knowledgeable demographic groups when it comes to energy efficiency, with more than 60% reading the instructions whenever they buy a new appliance. Despite this product knowledge, data shows Gen Z can often make accidental mistakes when it comes to their appliances, with 76% having used the wrong setting, causing them to spoil food or drinks or damage their clothing.
For people older than 64, actions speak louder than words, as findings reveal a substantial scepticism about energy-efficient products, but a strong belief in energy-efficient actions.
The survey reveals that people older than 64 are the generation least likely to prioritise energy efficiency when buying new products, with only 6 in 10 (63%) taking action, compared with younger generations (81% of Millennials). Nearly 7 in 10 (67%) of those surveyed older than 64 are not interested in replacing their current products.
However, the older group claims to be the most aware of how to use all their appliances in the most efficient way (86%), despite the majority sticking to the same settings on their washing machine.
The survey also looks at how attitudes and knowledge regarding energy-efficient practices differ across age groups. People older than 64 cited leaving the oven on while not in use (56%) and putting the heating on while the windows were open to dry clothes (56%) as inefficient practices, while almost a third (28%) of Gen Xers admitted to leaving an empty freezer plugged in.
The findings, which demonstrate a gap between knowledge and behaviour among consumers globally, highlight the need for greater action in ensuring consumers are maximising the efficiency of appliances at home.
Beko is partnering with Youreko, an energy efficiency tool that calculates the lifetime operating costs of appliances, to provide information to consumers on potential cost and energy savings. The tool on Beko's website allows users to compare energy efficiency by appliance type across various brands.