Voted Best Trade Journal 2019
September 2020 Issue 176
www.kbbdaily.com
PROFILE: SMEG
VERSATILE STYLE
SEE THE LIGHT
Pressing ‘on’ with new tech, a reputation for style and bold business intentions
Not just hard-wearing and hygienic, tiles give style to any kitchen aesthetic
Lighting has evolved to meet the needs of today’s multifunctional spaces
Pg 22
IN THIS ISSUE
Pg 38
Pg 26
BREXIT IS BACK: TIME IS UP TO PROTECT CONSUMER CHOICE
Pg 54
LEADING LIGHTS How to create beautiful bathrooms with the latest illuminating innovations Pg 44
PROFILE: QUOOKER This one goes up to100! Growing the market sector for boiling and multifunctional taps Pg 15 & 50
WHAT’S HOT Discover new products, new looks and new trends for both kitchen and bathroom
Remember Brexit? The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA) certainly does, and has brought together 15 UK trade associations representing Act now or limit choice and sales thousands of firms to seek clarity on the regulations that will impact makers as Britain starts trading under UK rules. AMDEA’s statement read: With less than five months to go until Britain starts trading under UK rules, nobody knows what these are, threatening Britain’s shopping choices from 1 January 2021 and jeopardising the supply of imported parts for hardpressed UK manufacturers. The problem lies in the fact that leading brands that British consumers expect to find in their shops or online all need to certify that they have complied with rigorous tests, before they can be sold in this country.
According to the Government, on 1 January 2021, previously established EU compliance standards represented by the CE mark, will be replaced by UKCA, a new UK conformity assessment. Unfortunately no details of the compliance requirements needed for this standard are available while companies are already testing, certifying and shipping products to reach this country in time for Christmas and the new year. Paul Hide, CEO AMDEA, suggests that we are approaching the moment when leading international brands will not risk shipping their latest models to the UK. He says, “The Government urgently needs to provide the details of the new requirements or commit to a significant period of tolerance, say 24 months, where the CE marking, a universally recognised mark of compliance, will still be accepted. At this late stage anything less risks severely diminishing shoppers’ choice, increasing prices and disrupting supplies for UK industries.” Head to kbbdaily.com for updates.
UNIFIED WATER LABEL: “GOVERNMENT HAS MISSED VITAL OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE WATER” The Government has missed its opportunity to help homeowners save water and cut energy consumption and carbon emissions during Yvonne Orgill, MD of the UWL the pandemic, according to Yvonne Orgill, MD at the Unified Water Label. Orgill has deemed the government’s Green Homes Grant as “disappointing”, stating that the inclusion of water-efficient and energy-saving bathroom products could have encouraged many to upgrade. “As an industry, we have the technology to offer water-
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efficient products without compromising the experience for the end user,” she says. “The Unified Water Label identifies the water and energy consumption of products, helping consumers make more informed choices.” And, reacting to recent comments from US President Trump about the problems of water restriction, Orgill comments: “In the US, they have a system that can lead to poor performance. If we are to make a difference here in the UK and Europe, we have to offer water-efficient products that can still perform, so that they are not rejected by consumers.”