Abstract
Automatic dishwashers combine capital, energy, and water to provide a relevant household service, namely dishwashing. Consumer behaviour in using the automatic dishwasher influences to a great extend the environmental impact of such a device. But what simple and intuitive recommendation can be given to consumers to save energy and water while maintaining the cleaning performance? This task is investigated by modelling the resource consumption for automatic dishwashers in six European countries by considering the installed base of automatic dishwashers and recently surveyed consumer programme selection behavior. Using this model, a simulation is performed on how three simple recommendations on the programme selection would affect the overall consumption. As a result, more than 20% of the consumed energy can be saved by following these simple recommendations. To facilitate consumers’ actual adoption of the recommendations, this publication presents effective communication measures based on the science of consumer behaviour.
About the authors
Thomas Alt is an international marketing manager for the automatic dishwashing category at Henkel Consumer Brands. He holds a PhD in the field of brand management as well as a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Administration of the University of Münster.
Dorothée Boivin is Vice President International Marketing of the dish category at Henkel Consumer Brands. She holds a master’s degree in Strategic Management & Economics of the HEC Paris.
Mario Altan is Director International Marketing of the automatic dishwashing category at Henkel Consumer Brands. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and Management of the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Arnd Kessler graduated from Georg-Simon-Ohm University of Applied Sciences in Nuremberg in Chemical Engineering (Dipl.Ing.). In 1998 he joined Henkel’s corporate research team. From 2000 until 2011 he worked as a product developer for automatic dishwashing detergents. Since 2011 Mr. Kessler heads Henkel’s Laundry & Homecare appliance technology team.
Angelika Schmitz has got a degree in home economics (Dipl. Oec. Troph.) at University of Bonn and is since then supporting the work of the department.
Rainer Stamminger, University of Bonn. After 17 years of practical experience in the development of washing machines and dishwashers with AEG Hausgeräte, Germany. Rainer Stamminger was appointed Professor of Appliance and Process Engineering at the University of Bonn. Main areas of research at the University are consumer behaviour of household work with and without using appliances, new products or features, smart appliances, robots for household application and questions of sustainability of housekeeping.
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Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
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