Register My Appliance Scheme to improve traceability and home safety

The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA) unveiled the Register My Appliance Scheme to improve traceability and home safety at Royal Society in London.

It showcased a web portal, which will enable consumers to register new appliances and existing ones up to 12 years’ old and promote understanding of why it is a wise safety precaution.

The Register My Appliance portal brings the registration of 46 brands together into one location and will also include a product recall list, hints and tips on maintenance, safe usage and installation, product standards and testing, guarantees and warranties, consumer rights and the AMDEA Code of Practice on product safety.

Sponsored Video

Quarter sawn Tulipwood

According to AMDEA consumers have an average over 40 electrical appliances in their homes.

Minister for Consumer Affairs Jo Swinson MP has supported the scheme, along with the Trading Standards Institute.

In a video message, Jo Swinson MP said: “Electrical safety and making sure that appliances are properly safe in consumers’ homes is something which I think we all want to make sure is a goal that we can reach. Obviously from time to time there will need to be product recalls. Even with the best systems in place, that is still going to happen. It has been a real problem that sometimes we want to contact consumers and the nature can be about safety but the lack of information of who actually has these products in their homes is a major stumbling block.”

She continued: “I think it’s a really sensible and straightforward and exciting project that should really help consumers safety. And I think it’s really positive the industry has taken a lead in pulling it together. I hope it proves a successful initiative.”

Chief executive of the Trading Standards Institute Leon Livermore urged regulators, manufacturers, consumer safety groups and retail to encourage consumers to use the portal. He stated that if successful, the scheme could be rolled out into other industries.

The scheme has the backing of AMDEA members, which represent over 85% of the domestic appliance industry. However AMDEA is also looking for non-members to sign up to the Register My Appliance initiative.

Register My Appliance is set to launch to consumers in January, 2015.