MEPS

MEPS is an initiative of the Australian & New Zealand Governments which stands for Minimum Environmental Performance Standards. For anyone navigating MEPS for the first time it can be very confusing. The most important parts of MEPS ‘in our order of importance’ are:

(a) the internal temperature of the fridge/freezer - and therefore if it can be used for food storage

1. Fridges/Refrigerators must be¹:
• Food Rated = 0-4°C or 0-5°C
• Drinks Rated = Anything higher than 5°C
2. Freezers should be²³:
• Food/Drink Rated = -18°C or Lower

(b) the “climate class” identifying what temperature the fridge can actually operate in; and

(c) the actual MEPS Efficiency rating.

We put the MEPS efficiency last because although it uses energy efficiency it also utilises the visual display area as a major calculation factor (we consider a rating distortion). So we encourage customers to look at actual energy consumption and fridge internal capacity when comparing products. MEPS also relies on suppliers submitting their own test report which is not independently tested. Any potential buyer should be warned about purchasing cheap non-MEPS rated products though for food as these may not even comply with basic electrical or mechanical requirements. Although MEPS is a requirement it is not enforced although it should be, as most professional organisations only use MEPS approved products for obvious reasons.