Arch rival of LG Bosch and Electrolux and a legal combatant Dyson has won a major legal fight in Europe over the way vacuum cleaners’ are energy labelled.
Dyson went into battle with the EU claiming tests behind the efficiency ratings favoured rivals’ models and failed to reflect real life conditions of use.
Dyson, claimed that vacuum cleaners using bags lost suction and became less energy efficient than their bagless cleaners as they filled, making lab tests which only measured the performance of empty cleaners inaccurate.
The company argued the tests misled consumers over the real environmental impact of the machine they were buying
The EU’s General Court found in Dyson’s favour after four years of legal wrangling over the issue.
The company, founded by Sir James Dyson, said the ruling was “a win for consumers”.
The UK firm said the lab tests had “flagrantly discriminated” against its own patented cyclone technology by testing vacuum cleaners when they were empty of dust.
Dyson said some manufacturers such as Electrolux, Bosch and Siemens had “actively exploited the regulation by using low motor power when in the test state, but then using technology to increase motor power automatically when the machine fills with dust – thus appearing more efficient”.
The ruling in the General Court annuls the current labelling regulations, although they will remain in place for 10 weeks to allow time for appeal.
Observers claim that Dyson all along suggested that the Commission itself was discriminated in favour of European manufacturers up against the Brit product – while the manufacturers themselves were operating within the letter, if not the spirit, of the law. It’s the bureaucrats, not the companies themselves, who stand accused.
