But if they've patented a design that works, is cheap, and the companies sign up to before the law is imposed then they're laughing - particularly as they're adament there's nothing else available to do the same job.
I think part of the problem is that people - even when told to their FACE - don't understand how an appliance could draw so much current when on standby, when they can't actually see them doing anything. Like that guy said, my set-top box for my freeview runs hot even when off, though my entire bedroom is pretty much rigged up to a fat mains switch that I turn off when I go out (my dad is crazy about wasting energy).