A new survey of 6,000 homeowners and renters from across the globe, commissioned by leading appliance brand, Beko, has revealed that nearly 9 in 10 (89%) respondents globally ignore what’s best when it comes to energy efficiency in the home, despite 80% of those surveyed knowing how to use their household appliances in an energy efficient way.

The survey looks at global consumer attitudes and behaviours concerning energy efficiency and is part of its latest campaign to shed light on how kitchen appliances are used efficiently in the home.

While these results paint a contradictory picture of household efficiency, findings have shown that globally, almost 9 in 10 (87%) believe in the importance of energy efficiency and 78% take an interest in purchasing products that look to improve their household’s efficiency. However, the majority of respondents admitted to engaging in energy inefficient behaviours that are known to waste energy including:

• Leaving the fridge door open when deciding what to eat (29%)
• Leaving a freezer plugged in when it’s got nothing in it (20%)
• Leave gadgets on charge for longer than they need (37%)

‘Settingsphobia’ – a term coined by Beko – is also to blame for inefficient energy practices in the home as almost 3 in 5 (59%) people are worried they’ll choose the wrong setting when using household appliances, but out of fear stick to the same, sometimes inefficient setting.

Akın Garzanlı

Akın Garzanlı, Chief Marketing Officer at Arçelik commented: “The data gives us a fascinating insight into how attitudes towards energy efficiency are evolving across the globe. At Beko we’re continually striving to provide high quality products that suit the changing needs of our consumers and of the environment. While we look for ways to innovate solutions to more efficient living, building on our latest SaveWater™ and popular AquaTech® technology, which offers an energy efficient and sustainable home experience, it’s interesting to understand how households are responding and this will help to inform how best we can help as a corporation”.

Gen Z revealed as generation with surprising behaviours

Gen Z were revealed as one of the most knowledgeable demographics when it comes to energy efficiency with over 60% of Gen Z reading the instructions whenever they buy a new appliance, the study found. 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 on their appliance, causing them to spoil their food/drink or damage their clothing.

Those older than 64 are unaware of benefits of energy efficient products

Actions speak louder than words when it comes to energy efficiency for those over 64 years of age, as findings reveal a substantial disbelief in energy efficiency products, but a strong belief in energy efficient actions.

The survey revealed that those over 64 are the generation least likely to prioritise energy efficiency when buying new products, with only 6 in 10 (63%) taking action, compared to younger generations (81% of Millennials) – and nearly 7 in 10 (67%) not interested in replacing their current products. However, those over 64 are the generation who claimed to be 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 offers insights into how attitudes and knowledge regarding best energy efficient practices in the home differ across age groups. People over the age of 64 cited leaving the oven on whilst not in use (56%) and putting the heating on whilst the windows were open to dry clothes (56%) as inefficient practices, whilst almost a third (28%) of Gen Xers admitted to leaving an empty freezer plugged in.

The findings, which have demonstrated a gap between knowledge and behaviour within consumers globally, highlight the need for greater action in ensuring consumers are maximising the efficiency of appliances at home.

Conscious of the results, Beko is partnering with Youreko, an energy efficiency tool that calculates the lifetime running costs of appliances, to provide information to consumers on potential cost and energy savings when choosing new products.

Youreko calculator

This feature is currently available for consumers to use on the UK Beko website and Beko Poland, and will be integrated into Beko’s Germany, Romania, France, Italy, Austria, Spain and Netherlands sites as well. The partnership involves the integration of the Youreko tool on Beko’s website to display information to the general public on how energy efficient Beko’s appliances are compared with least energy efficient models and how much money the manufacturer’s appliances could save consumers in the long term. The tool supplements the listings of Beko’s washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators which all boast energy efficient technologies within, the company says.