Government changes to white goods law welcomed

However, the professional division of Miele, which provides laundry equipment to various sectors including care, vets and hotels, wants organisations to be aware that it isn’t just domestic machines that contribute to the production of greenhouse gases during the manufacturing process, but also machines in commercial use play a significant part as well.

As reported by the likes of the BBC, Daily Mail, The Mail, fridges, washing machines and TVs will now be guaranteed to last longer in ’war on planned obsolescence’, as the government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy sets out plans to encourage manufacturers to extend the lifespan for electrical products.

Ministers have confirmed that from the summer consumers will have a right to repair on goods they buy. The new framework, expected to ‘go further than current EU rules’ will require products to display their expected lifespan, and spare parts to be available for at least seven years to ensure machines can be fixed rather than having to be replaced.  

 Simon Venni, country sales manager GB&I from the professional division of Miele said: “We welcome the government’s position on ‘planned obsolescence’ showing a clear understanding of the need for the sustainable consumption of products. It is vital that manufacturers are producing products that are built to last, to allow us to work towards a more sustainable future.

"Lifetime quality and longevity is something that is at the core of all Miele products and we are glad steps are being taken to make appliances last longer and in turn, help to protect against environmental impact. Sustainability is high on our agenda at Miele and we have lowered our CO2 emissions by 57% since 2000 and been a member of the UN Global Compact, an initiative promoting sustainability in businesses since 2004.

"Miele commercial washing machines are tested for 30,000 cycles, which is the equivalent to eight loads a day, seven days a week for over ten years. Different to domestic machines, commercial machines used in sectors such as care, vets, hotels, and restaurants, among others, are running multiple times a day and these sectors heavily depend on reliable laundry solutions to provide an uninterrupted service. This has become increasingly important during the Covid-19 pandemic as organisations, particularly across the care sector, are taking extra precautions to manage infection control and prevention.

"It is clear that reliable and effective laundry processes are playing a significant role in protecting the most vulnerable in society. Limiting on-site visits to care homes is crucial in preventing cross contamination with the outside world, making the need for reliable and quality machines paramount as maintenance visits are reduced. Not only does a product lifespan help to determine sustainability, safety and efficiency outcomes for an organisation, it also has a direct impact on the organisation’s bottom line, as replacing laundry equipment can be a costly task.”

For more information visit https://www.miele.co.uk/professional/index.htm