Online retailers are lagging behind traditional stores in giving customers details about the energy performance of domestic appliances, according to a report.

Almost two thirds (62%) of products ranging from fridges to televisions sold online Europe-wide had information missing about consumption and performance on the energy label, the EU-funded MarketWatch check, managed by the Energy Saving Trust, found.

In the UK, 90% of products checked through online retailers had energy information missing or displayed in the wrong format.

The worst performers were those selling air conditioners, electric ovens and washer driers, with only between 18% and 30% correctly labelled across all stores.

However, among traditional stores across Europe, more than three quarters (77%) of products were correctly labelled, with that figure rising to 80% of products sold in UK stores.

Researchers visited 225 shops - 114 traditional stores and 111 online retailers - to check 68,000 different energy-using products across Europe and more than 700 products in the UK across eight online stores and retailers.

The Energy Saving Trust said it would work with online retailers to address the "energy information gap" and ensure that full and correct information was provided on products.

From the beginning of next year, updated regulations will require online retailers to provide shoppers with an electronic version of the energy label.

Energy Saving Trust product certification manager Tom Lock said: "With rising energy bills, an increasing number of consumers are starting to consider the energy performance of products to ensure lower energy bills through products that perform more efficiently in the home.

"Between 80% and 90% of consumers say that the internet has some influence on their purchasing decisions, so we see this online energy information gap as a big problem and will be using these results to work with online retailers and stores to ensure they display the full, correct information on their products.

"At the same time, we will look at how this information about energy performance can be communicated to consumers online. This means presenting the energy performance of products in a more interactive, relevant, engaging and meaningful way to an increasingly tech-savvy audience."

A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokeswoman said: "We want a level playing field for online and offline shopping so that information about energy use will be available to consumers - regardless of how they shop.

"More energy efficient products are coming out all the time and better labelling will help people choose the best products."