(China Daily Global, Jan 15, 2026)
BEIJING — China has rolled out new home appliance regulations starting January 1, 2026, requiring all household appliances sold in the market to display prominent “safe use years” labels while raising the bar for energy efficiency standards, driving a greener, safer and more transparent consumer landscape. The rules mark a key shift from scale-focused growth to value-driven development centered on user safety, experience and sustainability.
Under the new standards, every appliance must clearly state its recommended safe service life in a visible position, effectively giving products a “shelf life” to prompt replacement of aging units and reduce fire or electric shock risks from worn wiring and components. The policy also tightens energy efficiency requirements, prioritizing first-class energy efficiency ratings across major categories such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and water heaters. Meanwhile, smart home appliances are classified into five intelligence levels (L1 to L5), with L5 representing the highest tier featuring full autonomous operation and self-optimization capabilities.
To support the transition, China’s 2026 trade-in subsidy program has been refined to focus on high-efficiency and smart models, replacing the 2025 flat 20% subsidy with more targeted incentives tied to energy ratings and smart functions. For example, consumers replacing old appliances with first-class energy-efficient or L4-L5 smart devices qualify for higher subsidies, while manufacturers benefit from faster AI-driven product development cycles—design timelines for new models can now be cut from 3 days to under 1 hour via AI platforms, boosting production efficiency.
Industry experts note the combined effect of labeling rules and subsidy adjustments will accelerate the phase-out of outdated appliances and push brands to innovate in safety, energy saving and smart features. Consumers will see more transparent purchasing decisions, with clear safety timelines and energy performance data, while the market leans further into products with full-lifecycle environmental sustainability. Major home appliance makers have already updated their production lines to comply, with over 80% of new models set to meet the first-class energy efficiency and L3+ smart standards by mid-2026, signaling a comprehensive upgrade across China’s home appliance sector.
