The United Kingdom will use mandatory water-saving signs in the next 2 to 3 years, applicable to toilets, urinals, faucets, showers and other products. Data shows that the sales of sanitary ware products in the UK will reach 1.2 billion pounds in 2021. The UK is also one of the top ten export destinations of Chinese sanitary ceramics. It is necessary for exporters to understand the new local water-saving regulations in advance.
The UK plans to implement a new water-saving label in 2024-2025 and is currently undergoing a 12-week public consultation. The new water-saving signs are mandatory and will be required to be posted on toilets, faucets, showers, dishwashers and other home appliances. Judging from the public design sketches, the mandatory water-saving signs in the United Kingdom represent water consumption grades A-E, of which grade B means water consumption of 8 liters per minute; the brand name and product model are printed on the logo, and there is a QR code on the right side, which can be used for View product details.
The mandatory water saving label is in addition to the current energy efficiency label and will help the UK achieve its water saving goals. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that the new water saving label could save the UK 1.2 billion litres of water a day and drive £125 million in water bill savings over the next 10 years, plus savings as less water needs to be heated £147m energy bill.
Some British companies said that local companies can still use the voluntary European water efficiency label, but this label is not very attractive to British companies. After the implementation of the new mandatory label, a variety of products, including sanitary ware, need to be used, which will promote the research and development of water-saving products in many industries. In addition, industry players say the new water-efficiency label should be referenced in new water-efficiency building regulations for new homes, which could save 32 liters of water per person per day in 25 years.
It is reported that the British government formulated a new water-saving regulation in July last year, establishing a target of reducing per capita water consumption from 145 liters per day to 110 liters per day by 2050 to deal with climate change and population growth. Develop a water-saving route map by the end of the year.
Statistics from the British Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) show that in 2021, the sales of bathroom products in the UK will reach 1.2 billion pounds (about 9.656 billion yuan), a record high, an increase of more than 20% from 980 million pounds in 2020, and even This is an increase of almost 10% from £1.13 billion in 2019 before the pandemic.
In addition, the UK has always been an important export market for Chinese sanitary ware products. According to the statistics of the Building Sanitary Ceramics Association, from January to June 2022, the export volume of China’s sanitary ceramics was 51.0319 million pieces, a year-on-year increase of 3.99%. The top ten export destinations of sanitary ceramics are the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nigeria, Canada, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia, of which the United Kingdom ranks ninth, with an export volume of 1.2507 million pieces to the United Kingdom, and an export value of 75.6552 million US dollars.
In view of the UK’s market position, companies entering the UK market are actively obtaining relevant local product certifications. A typical example is UKCA certification. After the UK leaves the European Union, the country will use UKCA certification as the mandatory entry mark for British shopping malls, and European CE certification is no longer the access mark for British shopping malls. In the field of water use, the British WRAS certification for faucets, toilets, water tanks and other products is also often used. Many Chinese bathroom companies with British business have obtained this certification, such as BATHVO.
Regarding the British sanitary ware market, the market research company AMA pointed out that when British people buy sanitary ware products, they no longer only consider beauty or cheapness and practicality. More and more people are beginning to choose green and environmentally friendly products, which makes the existence of water-saving sanitary ware in the British market. sense is increasing. It is believed that with the implementation of mandatory water-saving signs, the British water-saving bathroom market will usher in a new outbreak.
