Following our previous look at the markets of Office, Industrial and Consumer, now Retail comes under the spotlight. What are the main trends, and how can LED lighting products bring benefits to this segment’s diverse range of applications?
 

Light quality is of key importance for the retail market. Lighting affects how consumers see merchandise, as well as the atmosphere of their retail experience. And if shoppers feel good they are likely to spend more. But different items require very different lighting effects; different color spectrums highlight certain colors. For example, white items need to be vibrant, while produce such as meat or fruit need their natural colors enhanced.
 

Lighting can also be used as a distinguishing element of retailer’s brand, making a shop stand out from the rest. It can also be used to adapt lighting to a specific mood, theme or season. For example, daylight and night settings in fitting rooms. Or changing the light to reflect the changing seasons, and make customers comfortable with warmer store lighting in winter, cooler in summer.

LED lighting products make an excellent solution, comparing very favorably to alternatives regarding light quality, color spectrum and adaptability. Their high efficiency means the more lamps used, the greater the savings. Cooler operation makes installations safer and more flexible, and long lifetime also means less maintenance. Also, LED form factors allow stores to do more interesting things with lighting.
 

Finally, LED lighting can play a significant role in upcoming in-store guidance systems. They are ideal for modulated lighting schemes, and ‘smart’ wireless systems which allow customers to navigate through department stores using their phones. The digital nature of LED technology makes it the logical choice for these applications.