Moving Towards Healthier, Efficient Electric Cooking: Consumer Perspectives from Eight European Countries

Summary

CLASP’s survey report examines European consumer views, behaviours, and usage of cooking appliances, as well as their opinions on potential policies that could make the transition to electric cooking a reality.

Sara Demartini (previously with CLASP), Païline Caroni

This CLASP report presents insights from surveys of 8,000 demographically representative adults across eight European countries, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The research provides valuable data for European policymakers on ways to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more efficient electric hobs (cooktops).

The report examines European consumers’ views and behaviours concerning gas and electric hobs, focusing on their usage, preferences, energy efficiency awareness, purchase criteria, health perceptions, ventilation practices, and opinions on potential policy measures.

Key Findings

  • Most Europeans support a shift to cleaner, safer, and healthier electric cooking, but they need more exposure to induction technology to be fully convinced of its benefits.
  • Supportive pricing and clear information are key factors in encouraging the transition to electric cooking, as consumers tend to prefer more energy-efficient and less polluting products.
  • Consumers lack accurate information about the real efficiency of different hob technologies; their views are shaped by their personal experiences and familiarity with the hobs they use.
  • Europeans have limited awareness of the impact gas cooking has on indoor air quality and often fail to ventilate adequately while cooking.
  • Consumers feel that it’s the manufacturers’ responsibility to reduce pollution from gas hobs, and governments should help support the transition to more efficient and healthier electric cooking.

Recommendations

  • Consumers should be able to select the most energy-efficient and least polluting hobs. Ecodesign regulations should remove the least efficient and most polluting options from the market. Clear information on the health risks of gas hobs should be made available through instruction manuals, webpages, or displayed on a future energy label or warning icon on hobs and ventilation hoods.
  • National governments should offer incentives to encourage the shift to electric cooking and ensure that electricity prices are competitive with gas.
  • Consumer organisations, non-governmental organisations, and forward-thinking producers and retailers should inform consumers about the health risks of gas cooking and the benefits of electric hobs. A successful transition to cleaner, more efficient electric hobs requires consumers to experience a new electric technology firsthand.
European consumers are ready for a shift to healthier, more efficient electric cooking, but to make this transition possible, people need clear information and supportive policies. Nicole Kearney
CLASP Europe Director

The surveys address technical, behavioural, and policy questions related to hob usage, which have been raised by policymakers, industry, and civil society. Detailed results for each country can be found in the annexes.

To ensure objectivity and representative results, CLASP commissioned Opinium Research, an independent polling organisation, to conduct the surveys. CLASP analysed the Europe-wide data and compiled this report, which builds on Opinium’s national analyses and findings.

Visit our Cook Cleaner Europe webpage to view additional resources on gas and electric cooking.

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