This is what Brits are wasting money on

New survey reveals all

More than half of Brits are risking higher energy bills as a result of not replacing appliances when they need to, according to new research.

The data suggests Brits are keen to avoid replacing appliances unless necessary – the clear majority (87 per cent) will hold onto household appliances until they break.

A survey of homeowners carried out by leading household appliances retailer, AppliancesDirect.co.uk, as part of its Power On: The Evolution of Appliances report, revealed 66 per cent do not know when appliances should be replaced.

Over 80 per cent of those surveyed were not able to identify how often a dishwasher should be replaced, while 78 per cent do not know how regularly an oven should be replaced.

Just a fifth of Brits claim to be economical and environmentally-aware and would replace an appliance if a more energy-efficient model was released.

One in 10 would replace an electrical appliance if they found another model that they thought was more stylish, even if their current model still worked.

Mark Kelly, marketing manager at AppliancesDirect.co.uk comments: “It’s surprising to see just how little British adults know about their household appliances and how regularly they need to be replaced.

“Large kitchen appliances do not need to be replaced often, but it is important for consumers to follow the guidelines on when their appliances should be fixed or replaced, as it could potentially cost a lot more in the long run.

“Ensuring your home has up to date appliances can not only save money due to energy efficiency, but is also much safer.

“It’s also important that consumers take note of the changes to the energy efficiency ratings. The A++++ rating is no longer useful as it needs changing regularly to keep up. For example, a product that was rated A++ 5 years ago, won’t be as efficient as an A++ rated product now, therefore costing consumers more money to run.”