What does this icon on an EU energy label mean?

Find it by the product. 1. Pick what the label is on. 2. Match the icon. Each of the 29 icons has a page with what its number measures, the unit, the test behind it and the regulation annex that requires it — including the phone and tablet label (since 20 June 2025) and the tyre label.

Tap a product — the icons on its label appear here.

Washing machine — 9 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2019/2014, Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels kWh per 100 cyclesWashing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Rated capacity in kgWashing machine, Tumble dryer Water per cycle in litresWashing machine, Dishwasher Programme duration (h:min)Washing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Spin-drying efficiency classWashing machine Noise in dB(A) with class A–D (appliances)On 4 product labels Washer-dryer: two columns (wash and dry / wash only)Washing machine

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Dishwasher — 7 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2019/2017, Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels kWh per 100 cyclesWashing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Place settings (dishwasher capacity)Dishwasher Water per cycle in litresWashing machine, Dishwasher Programme duration (h:min)Washing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Noise in dB(A) with class A–D (appliances)On 4 product labels

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Fridge or freezer — 7 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2019/2016, Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels Noise in dB(A) with class A–D (appliances)On 4 product labels kWh per year (fridges and freezers)Fridge or freezer Frozen compartment volume (snowflake, litres)Fridge or freezer Unfrozen and chill compartment volume (litres)Fridge or freezer Wine bottles (wine storage appliances)Fridge or freezer

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Tumble dryer — 7 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2023/2534, Annex III. Article 10: “It shall apply from 1 July 2025.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels kWh per 100 cyclesWashing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Rated capacity in kgWashing machine, Tumble dryer Programme duration (h:min)Washing machine, Dishwasher, Tumble dryer Noise in dB(A) with class A–D (appliances)On 4 product labels Condensation efficiency class (condenser dryers)Tumble dryer

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TV or monitor — 5 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2019/2013, Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels SDR: kWh per 1000 h (TVs and monitors)TV or monitor HDR: class and kWh per 1000 hTV or monitor Screen diagonal and resolutionTV or monitor

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Light bulb — 3 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2019/2015, Annex III. Article 10: “It shall apply from 1 September 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels Light bulb: kWh per 1000 hLight bulb

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Phone or tablet — 7 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2023/1669, Annex III. Article 8: “It shall apply from 20 June 2025.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Energy efficiency class arrow (A to G)On 7 product labels Battery endurance per cycle (phones and tablets)Phone or tablet Battery endurance in cyclesPhone or tablet Repeated free fall reliability classPhone or tablet Repairability classPhone or tablet IP rating on a phone or tablet labelPhone or tablet

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Tyre — 6 icons

Label set by Regulation (EU) 2020/740, Annex II (content and format), Annex I (grading). Article 18: “It shall apply from 1 May 2021.”

QR code (top left of the label)On 8 product labels Tyre fuel efficiency classTyre Tyre wet grip classTyre Tyre external rolling noise (dB and A–C)Tyre Tyre snow grip (mountain with snowflake)Tyre Tyre ice gripTyre

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The A–G scale

ABCDEFG

The framework regulation defines the label as “a closed scale using only letters from A to G, each letter representing a class and each class corresponding to energy savings, in seven different colours from dark green to red” (Regulation (EU) 2017/1369, Article 2). Where ecodesign rules already ban the bottom classes, the regulation’s recitals say those classes “should nonetheless be shown on the label in grey”.

The letter is always relative to its own product group. Each regulation turns a different measurement into the letter:

What sets the class letter, and the class A threshold
Product	Based on	Class A	Regulation
Washing machine	letter A–G (index EEI_W, no unit)	A: EEI_W ≤ 52	Regulation (EU) 2019/2014
Dishwasher	letter A–G (index EEI, no unit)	A: EEI < 32	Regulation (EU) 2019/2017
Fridge or freezer	letter A–G (index EEI, no unit)	A: EEI ≤ 41	Regulation (EU) 2019/2016
Tumble dryer	letter A–G (index EEI, no unit)	A: EEI ≤ 43	Regulation (EU) 2023/2534
TV or monitor	letter A–G (index EEI_label, no unit)	A: < 0.30	Regulation (EU) 2019/2013
Light bulb	letter A–G (efficacy in lm/W)	A: ≥ 210 lm/W	Regulation (EU) 2019/2015
Phone or tablet	letter A–G (index EEI in 1/W)	Smartphones A: EEI > 2.70 … G: ≤ 1.20	Regulation (EU) 2023/1669
Tyre	A–E only: rolling resistance, wet grip	see fuel efficiency, wet grip	Regulation (EU) 2020/740

Full thresholds A to G for every group: the class arrow page.

The 2021 rescaling: why A+++ disappeared

What changed. The older labels had classes above A; the framework regulation’s recitals note that “the top class can be anything between classes A to A+++” depending on the product group. Article 11(5) ordered rescaled A to G labels for the groups then covered by Regulations 1059/2010 (dishwashers), 1060/2010 (fridges), 1061/2010 (washing machines), 1062/2010 (televisions), 874/2012 (lamps) and Directive 96/60/EC (washer-dryers).
When. The new labels for washing machines and washer-dryers, dishwashers, fridges and electronic displays apply from 1 March 2021; for light sources from 1 September 2021 (the application articles of 2019/2013 to 2019/2017). Tumble dryers moved to the new label on 1 July 2025 (2023/2534, Article 10).
Why A is often empty. Article 11(8): when a label is introduced or rescaled, “no products are expected to fall into energy class A at the moment of the introduction of the label”. A B or C on a new label can be a very efficient product.
No conversion table. The European Commission says of the fridge label: “no precise mapping of a class into another of the newest label is possible because the parameters and test methods used to classify the performance have evolved” (Understanding the Energy Label, checked 2026-09-25). So this page does not translate an old A++ into a new letter.
Next rescaling. Article 11(6): the Commission reviews a label once 30 % of units sold are in class A, or 50 % in A and B together, and further technological development can be expected.

The QR code: what it links to

The square barcode at the top left of every new label is, in the regulations’ words, “a matrix barcode included on the energy label of a product model that links to that model’s information in the public part of the product database”. That database is EPREL, the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling. The model’s entry there holds the full product information sheet — more figures than the label prints, such as the six repairability scores of a phone.

The Commission advises that the real code “leads directly to the official EPREL address, always beginning by ec.europa.eu/”, that EPREL “will never ask for any personal data or payment”, and warns of stickers with a false QR code stuck over a label (Understanding the Energy Label, checked 2026-09-25). More: the QR code icon.

What this page cannot do

It gives no buying advice. It explains what each icon and number means and how it is measured, not which product to choose.
It cannot look up a model. It does not know any product’s class or figures; the label on the product and its EPREL entry do.
It does not query EPREL or any other database, and it does not read or decode your QR code. Scan the code with your phone’s camera to reach EPREL yourself.
It covers the eight product groups listed above. Other labelled products — ovens, range hoods, heaters, water heaters, air conditioners, professional fridges — are not explained here yet, and the old A+++ labels are only described, not decoded.
The drawings are our own, for recognition; the pictogram in the regulation’s own label figure is the official one.

Sources

Each regulation was read in its Official Journal text on the date shown. Links go to EUR-Lex.

Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 — Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 setting a framework for energy labelling and repealing Directive 2010/30/EU. Articles 2, 11 and recitals. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2014 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2014 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of household washing machines and household washer-dryers. Label: Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.” Amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/340 (label sizes, test notes and verification tolerances); the label points quoted here are unchanged by it. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2017 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2017 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of household dishwashers. Label: Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.” Amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/340 (label sizes, test notes and verification tolerances); the label points quoted here are unchanged by it. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of refrigerating appliances. Label: Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.” Amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/340 (label sizes, test notes and verification tolerances); the label points quoted here are unchanged by it. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2013 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2013 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of electronic displays. Label: Annex III. Article 11: “It shall apply from 1 March 2021.” Amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/340 (label sizes, test notes and verification tolerances); the label points quoted here are unchanged by it. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2015 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2015 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of light sources. Label: Annex III. Article 10: “It shall apply from 1 September 2021.” Amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/340 (among other things the minimum label sizes); the label points quoted here are unchanged by it. Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2023/2534 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2534 of 13 July 2023 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of household tumble dryers. Label: Annex III. Article 10: “It shall apply from 1 July 2025.” Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1669 — Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669 of 16 June 2023 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to the energy labelling of smartphones and slate tablets. Label: Annex III. Article 8: “It shall apply from 20 June 2025.” Checked 2026-09-25.
Regulation (EU) 2020/740 — Regulation (EU) 2020/740 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 2020 on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other parameters. Label: Annex II (content and format), Annex I (grading). Article 18: “It shall apply from 1 May 2021.” Checked 2026-09-25.
European Commission: Understanding the Energy Label — QR code safety, EPREL, and the note that old and new classes cannot be mapped. Checked 2026-09-25.