Practical benefits

Mrs. Hoàng Thị Hợi - in Đức Lợi Company (Quảng Ninh) - reveals that during the past 3 years, the shops of her company have been distributing energy-labeled products. Of the hundreds of products like refrigeration, electronics, television sets, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, cookers, etc, 90% are energy-labeled.

With ever growing technology today, the price of energy-labeled refrigeration products is inexpensive, and tending cheaper. This will facilitate the opportunity for customers to use the energy savings products. However, the selection of products that save energy at different levels represented by more or less stars (in range of 1-5 stars) also depends on the financial capability of consumers.

Mr. Tran Van Bao (from Ha Long) - a customer with a procurement plan for an air - conditioner says that though he has an average income, he will try to buy energy-labeled products with higher levels of energy savings. Because, as he believes, the initial procurement cost could be larger than the normal payouts, but in the long run it will save electricity, thus saving the running cost .

The mandatory energy labeling regulated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade has brought about many benefits not only for businesses and consumers but also for the environment and society. Also it helps the enterprises in manufacture, and distribution business to have certificate of origin, quality, and credibility,  and it frees the sellers from too much  explanation for the buyer as they had to do it before. Customers as end users can feel safer because most products are of quality, high stability, especially with reduced electricity consumption, protection of health and the environment. For example, the air conditioning products of Daikin, and Panasonic have clean gas, very good for the elderly and children. 

In need of the community's support 

According to Mr. Shinji Miyata - General Director of Daikin Air Conditioners Inc.  (Vietnam), the energy-labeled products have higher price compared to others, but in competition, the manufacturers have focused on doing research to launch a variety of products and designs, suitable for the climatic conditions, specific buildings, homes and usage habits of Vietnamese people. In particular, the products are various in prices for customers to choose, depending on their financial affordability.

Many experts believe that, no matter how far the public communication could be promoted, the National Target Program on Energy Efficiency and Conservation would not be sustainable without the direct involvement of consumers. So, in addition to offering incentive mechanism, the manufacturer should provide information, conduct the communication with the mass about the benefits of the power-saving products in the family, because the sub load increases mainly due to electrically powered devices, meanwhile the lighting only accounts for a comparatively tiny volume.

However, many consumers are worried about the businesses which will take advantage to exercise their own labeling of products, especially applicable to imported products, or products that fail to meet the energy efficiency level as it is expected and indicated in the label. In this regard, Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu - Department of Science, Technology and Energy-Conservation of the General Department of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade - says that the ministry will resort to more drastic measures to protect the entitlements of the people; to concentrate its efforts on final preparation of legal documents and to issue the standards for energy efficiency of equipment and  testing standards in order to grant the energy label certification for the devices.

"In the time to come, the Ministry will organize the training on energy labeling for marketing managers in 3 regions ; Northern, Central and Southern region to aim at raising the awareness for this task force of the energy labeling. At the same time, it is to strengthen the management, inspection and control of the implementation of the energy labeling business. If violations are detected, they shall be thoroughly disciplined once and for all ", Vu confirms.

Do Trong Tan