Managing director of the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA) Yvonne Orgill says the plan for a new, mandatory water label announced by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will create confusion and unnecessary expense.

UWLA is seeking a u-turn on the decision, with a view the Government adopts the existing Water Label which has been used voluntarily by bathroom manufacturers and retailers.

Yvonne Orgill’s comments were made following the publication of the response to the consultation which took place earlier this year.

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She said: “The decision by Defra to progress a mandatory label will create confusion, as under their proposals there will be a UK only label, creating extra administration and expense for many manufacturers that operate across Europe and the UK.

“In addition, the cost of re-inventing the wheel by developing new technical criteria, testing products and setting up a whole new scheme, when this already exists via the Unified Water Label, is not only expensive for the industry but a waste of public money.”

Orgill continued: “Government is extremely misguided in spending time and money developing a label when there is a recognised and existing scheme developed by the industry, that they could utilise, at much less cost and more effectively.

“The document also omits any mention of a campaign to influence consumer behaviour, which is essential for any scheme to succeed, and something that the UWLA has been addressing since the schemes’ inception.”

She added: “The UWLA is fully committed to helping government address the issue of water efficiency but believes that it could work with, and listen to industry more.

“The Unified Water Label Association has responded directly to Defra and will be stepping up its campaign to lobby government for a reversal of this direction, with a view to adopting the existing Unified Water Label.”

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association has also voiced its concerns on Government’s decision to bypass the established Unified Water Label (UWL), calling it a “shocking waste”.