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Major retailers switch to LED as Tesco and IKEA go green

Major retailers switch to LED as Tesco and IKEA go green

Major retailers are set to embrace LED lighting, with both Tesco and IKEA announcing plans to convert stores and stocks to LED-only within the coming months.

Earlier this month supermarket giant Tesco announced its first LED-only lit store, part of the retail group's drive to cut carbon emissions across its network. It's expected that the Loughborough flagship switching to LED lighting exclusively will result in a 30 per cent energy saving from the Express branch.

External lighting as well in interior LED bulbs will be used in the store, which will also see LEDs used to light temperate areas such as the walk-in refrigerated units. A further advantage of LEDs is that they run at cooler temperatures, meaning they have less effect on the areas surrounding them when cooling is key.

Meanwhile, home improvement giant IKEA has this week announced plans to convert every one of its retail locations across the globe to LED lighting by the year 2016, also as part of the firm's dedication to cutting carbon costs.

As well as converting branch locations to LED, stock will also reflect the change, with the firm becoming the first retailer in the US to sell LED bulbs and lamps exclusively by the same timeframe.

"LED is a light revolution," said IKEA sustainability officer Steve Howard. "With household electricity bills continuing to rise rapidly and global energy consumption increasing, a small LED bulb can have a very big impact. It uses much less energy than a traditional bulb and brings a lot of home furnishing potential to the home."

Not only will the retailer save on energy costs month-to-month through the switch to LED, it'll also save on maintenance costs: the average LED light bulb lasts some 20 years, and the lifespan is ever-extending as the technology progresses.

And the move by both retail chains reflects how LED isn't just a suitable lighting solution around the home, but can also be used by businesses - battling hard in the current economy - to make significant savings.