Whirlpool Corporation , the global leader in home appliances and the leading manufacturer of ENERGY STAR® appliances, applauds the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for taking the first step in addressing concern that some manufacturers underreported energy consumption in their French-door Bottom Mount refrigerators.

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"Thanks to the DOE's ongoing investigation, we have confidence that consumers will ultimately be able to make informed decisions about energy savings and environmental impact in this popular segment of the refrigeration category," said Greg Miller, general manager, refrigeration, Whirlpool North America. "Through our own testing, we know that Whirlpool Corporation's French-door Bottom Mount refrigerators are the most energy efficient sold today and have fully earned their ENERGY STAR label and rating."

On Friday, November 14, the DOE announced the immediate removal of the ENERGY STAR designation from some competitive French-door Bottom Mount products for sale in the U.S. found to deliver significantly less than the energy savings touted on labeling. Consumers who purchased these refrigerators will be offered a free, in-home product modification and monetary compensation for promised energy savings these products fail to deliver. The DOE continues to investigate the accuracy of other French-door Bottom Mount energy labels.

As a long-time supporter of the DOE ENERGY STAR energy-efficiency program, Whirlpool Corporation not only played a leading role in setting the ENERGY STAR program standards but has also won a record 21 ENERGY STAR awards since 1998.

About Whirlpool Corporation and ENERGY STAR

Whirlpool Corporation offers the greatest number of energy-efficient appliances in the industry, providing consumers with more ENERGY STAR qualified appliances than any other company through its leading portfolio of consumer brands, including Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air and KitchenAid.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion, 73,000 employees, and 69 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/ .

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: angela_m_hersil@whirlpool.com

SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation