Eco Friendly Fridge Freezers
See our Ethical Fridge Freezers Ratings Table to compare brands
Ethical issues to consider before buying an energy-efficient fridge freezer
Our fridges and our freezers improve our food hygiene standards. They preserve our food and prevent us from creating too much food waste. However, they can also be energy-guzzlers if you are not using an energy-efficient fridge freezer. Our guide discusses the benefits of purchasing an eco friendly fridge freezer. It also investigates the ethical issues behind the UK’s leading fridge freezer brands.
It’s crucial to consider the ethics of the fridge freezer brands you purchase from. Some of the UK’s leading fridge freezer brands are involved in unethical practices such as poor environmental reporting, human rights abuses, and involvement in military activity. It’s not worth purchasing an eco friendly fridge freezer from an unethical company. The benefits of the product may be outweighed by the bad environmental practices of the brand!
Our Ethical Fridge Freezers Ratings Table gives you all the information you need to choose an eco friendly fridge freezer from an ethical brand. Be reassured that your purchase is not harming the planet or people. The most ethical fridge freezer brands can be found in the green section of the table.
Are fridge freezers bad for the environment?
Fridge freezers are some of the only appliances that need to be switched on 24 hours of the day. This increases their overall energy consumption and the carbon emissions associated with energy usage. A study from the University of Birmingham states that the cooling industry is responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. So purchase an eco friendly fridge freezer to minimise your carbon footprint!
American-style fridge freezers- which have the freezer beside the fridge, rather than above or below it- are particularly bad for energy efficiency. According to Energy Saving Trust, these types of fridge freezers can cost up to three times more to run! This means they are not only using a lot more energy, but they will also cost you a lot more in electricity bills. Avoid these models if you want to find an energy-efficient fridge freezer.
Some fridge freezer brands fall short on environmental policies. Some brands refuse to be transparent about their environmental impact. Out of 30 brands assessed, only 16 brands received a top rating for their Environmental Report. Check our Ethical Fridge Freezers Ratings Table for more information about the environmental impact of fridge freezer brands. This is very disappointing, and we hope to see many fridge freezer brands improve their environmental commitments in the future. Choose from brands that receive a top rating for their Environmental Report if you want to purchase an eco friendly fridge freezer from a brand that clearly shows its commitment to tackling climate change.
Our research: Fridge freezer brands and unethical practices
The Good Shopping Guide’s independent research into the sector reveals other unethical practices that many fridge freezer brands are involved in. If you want to purchase from ethical fridge freezer brands, avoid these brands.
Several fridge freezer brands are involved in the defence and weapons industry. This means that some brands are selling military equipment to governments or military organisations, either directly or through a subsidiary of their parent company. These brands have been marked down under our Armaments category. This includes brands such as LG, Beko, Blomberg and Grundig.
Our advice: How to find the most energy-efficient fridge freezer
Good news! Fridge freezers are more efficient now than ever before! The European Commission estimates that fridge freezers will be 64% more efficient in 2030.
Look for the kilowatt hour (kWh) figure displayed on the product’s energy label when purchasing an energy-efficient fridge freezer. The higher the figure, the more energy a product uses. Simply compare different energy-efficient fridge freezer options and see which one has the lowest kWh figure.
Pay attention to the rating on the energy label, which is now ranked from A-G (with A being the best). The energy labelling system has recently been updated to be stricter on companies and encourage greater energy efficiency. Remember that a new D-rated product is similar to an old A+++ rating.
The energy efficiency rating is also assessed in relation to the size of the appliance. So, if you have two products with an A rating, the smaller model will be a more energy-efficient fridge freezer. It is therefore important to buy a fridge freezer that suits your needs. Don’t purchase one that is bigger than necessary, or you will be wasting energy and money!
See our Ethical Fridge Freezers Ratings Table to compare brands
The Good Shopping Guide has compiled a huge number of individual brand page articles, comprising of our exclusive and independent research, and detailing more information. Click on any brand name to read our in-depth research on the sustainability policies, certifications, practices and ethics of hundreds of brands.
Miele, Amica, CDA, Kenwood, Smeg, Swan, AEG, Belling, Electrolux, Lec, Montpellier, Prima, Stoves, Zanussi, Beko, Blomberg, Grundig, Fridgemaster, Hisense, Hotpoint, Indesit, Whirlpool, Bosch, Gaggenau, Neff, Siemens, Baumatic, Candy, Fisher & Paykel, Hoover, LG and Samsung.