Standards and regulations should better take into account consumer expectations, minimise test complexity and cost

Standards and regulations should better take in account consumer expectations, minimise test complexity and cost, participants to CECED's Workshop on consumer-relevant testing methods for vacuum cleaners concluded on 7th July.

CECED had organised this second workshop to examine the topic of how appliance testing could better take note of actual consumer use of products and help structure the debate among stakeholders following the topic. Specific emphasis was placed on how to find ways of satisfying the needed precise reproducability and repeatability of results for appliance testing, something that is vital for market surveillance activities.

Forty seven participants joined the workshop which took place at the VDE test laboratory near Frankfurt. Participants reflected the full spectrum of stakeholders that follow the topic of product testing: consumer associations, environmental NGOs, energy and market surveillance authorities, EU Commission consultants, several European testing labs, CECED Direct and non-Direct Members.

Participants were invited to see at first hand how products are tested using a live demonstration. The learning experience and spirit of open dialogue and transparency was outlined as a good way forward for the stakeholder community to examine the topic in future months.