Hyderabad: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, is ramping up enforcement of its Standards & Labelling (S&L) programme by sharpening its focus on Market Surveillance—an essential tool to protect consumers and safeguard India’s ambitious energy-saving goals.

This flagship initiative has delivered massive impact: Rs 54,324 crore saved in consumer energy costs, 58 million tons of CO₂ emissions avoided, and a fivefold jump in production of star-labelled appliances—from 10.5 crore units in 2014 to 58 crore in 2024. BEE has now specifically emphasised the need for all State Designated Agencies (SDAs) of all States to intensify Market Surveillance. The goal: ensure only genuine, compliant, star-labelled products reach consumers, prevent counterfeit labelling, maintain proper visibility of labels, and uphold Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).

Spot checks through strategic sampling of high-volume appliances help detect violations. If found, manufacturers or sellers face legal action under Section 26 of the EC Act, 2001, overseen by the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).