Consumers say they would be prepared to pay a premium for plumbing products that carry the Wras approval logo.
Water Regulations Approval Scheme (Wras) celebrates its first anniversary this year. It carried out a survey of 2,000 UK householders.
Wras conducted what will become a regular, annual survey into public awareness of Wras. This year’s survey found that half of respondents said they would trust a product bearing the Wras logo and almost two-thirds (62%) said they would pay more for a product bearing the logo.
The survey also showed growing public awareness of Wras, with one-in-five (21%) saying they had heard of the organisation, while 74% of non-householders interviewed were aware of the Wras approval scheme, with just over two-thirds (67%) saying they would trust a plumbing product bearing the Wras logo.
Commenting on the results, Wras approvals manager Ian Hughes said: “Our aim is to help businesses and consumers choose compliant products that keep water safe. That means ensuring Wras is a trusted brand, among householders and non-householders alike.
“One year on from the launch of approvals as a dedicated business, these results are very encouraging and shows that a Wras approval is a recognised route to demonstrating compliance with the regulations.”
More than three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed said they knew that Wras-approved products were checked to ensure they do not leak, while eight out of 10 (79%) knew that Wras-checked products to ensure any non-metallic materials do not impact on water quality.
Hughes added: “Not only does a Wras approval offer the security that the Water Fittings Regulations have been complied with, it also offers commercial opportunities to manufacturers and retailers.
“Sixty-two per cent of the trade audience in our study said they would pay a premium for a plumbing product that had a Wras approval.”