Display lighting is a key aspect in the presentation of products. Shopping in retail facilities usually involves the use of the senses, the most important one in this case being sight. It is therefore important to choose the right lighting for the items on offer. In this publication we focus on how to choose the right lighting for your display using LED luminaires, in particular:
- where to pay attention to lighting in a shop,
- what light to use for which products,
- what parameters to pay attention to at the design stage,
- how to illuminate a display.
Shop lighting – the most important areas of light source use
The sales success of a shop’s product range depends to a large extent on how it is displayed. Presenting products in the right light influences the customers’ purchasing decisions. Their interest is already aroused at the entrance to the premises by means of external lighting. However, shop window lighting, in which some products are already visible, encourages them to visit the shop.
General-purpose LED luminaires in a retail environment
The time the consumers spend shopping is usually closely linked to the number of products on sale; the longer the time spent, the more shoppers choose to buy. In the interior, general lighting is responsible for the atmosphere and mood of customers, so that they spend more time there. It also provides the backdrop for the display of the shop’s product range.
What luminaires work best in this case? First and foremost, attention should be paid to the uniformity of the general lighting in the shop space and to ensuring adequate contrast between it and the light sources used in the display area. It is important that the objects are not over illuminated, so it is necessary to match the light intensity and its colour. The optimum colour temperature is 4000K. Such light can be achieved by choosing luminaires such as Tracklight or Lumiline.
Does the product matter? – shop display lighting
Right after entering in the facility, the shop window space can draw the customers’ attention to the product range offered by the company. Some of them are located next to streets and pavements, so they have direct access to natural light. Products usually look favourably in sunlight, so artificial lighting in shopfront areas should be provided after dusk. For facilities with shop aisles, it is important to remember to use lighting via LED luminaires throughout the shop’s operation.
Both in the shop window and in the shop space, the display should be illuminated with adequate light. The products on display play an important role here. Their categories are determined by the type of light used. A shop that offers food products will be illuminated differently than one that sells clothing or construction products. Note that the display lighting is to show the advantages of the respective items.
LED lighting and its parameters in display lighting
Good lighting in shops is a guarantee of greater comfort for customers and employees. LED technology, due to the LEDs used as light sources, works very well in this type of area and saves on electricity consumption. Numerous factors determine how to properly illuminate a display. To this end, the use of contrasts is an effective tool.
Basic principles of lighting design:
Baked goods should look appealing,
The colour of illuminated clothes should be that of daylight,
Highlighting the colour of meat is its greatest asset,
The look of fruit and vegetables should imply freshness.
What should the colour of the light be?
Optimum shop lighting is provided by a light colour of 4000K. This colour temperature is found in the general lighting areas, i.e. the aisles. Other ranges and spectral values make it possible to show the qualities of the products on display.
The boost from orange is most beneficial for baked goods. It is thanks to that and the warm colour between 2500-3000K that baked goods will appear fresh and crisp.
Meat and sausages attract customers’ attention when their colour is enhanced. Red meat is associated with the colour of blood so the light should be intensified in the orange and red areas. It is a little different when meat products with a higher fat content are presented, because here, it is important to highlight the red as well as the blue colour. However, the colour temperature of around 2800K will result in a favourable visual impression.
Other products are recommended to be illuminated with a colour temperature lower than that of general lighting. LED luminaires generating cooler light, in the range 3000-4000K, are most commonly selected.
Colour rendering, or what the CRI is
The colour rendering index (CRI) is an extremely important parameter. Note that the reference level, i.e. a CRI of 100, is determined by sunlight. Too great a deviation from this value will result in customers being dissatisfied after making a purchase. Therefore, the CRI is considered one of the most important indicators in the lighting of a clothing shop display. In areas where clothes are displayed, it should be a minimum of 80, but luminaires with a CRI>90 are recommended.
Lighting intensity
Thanks to the contrast, customers’ eyes can be attracted to specific areas. This is made possible by varying the colour and intensity of the light. Depending on the type of products on display, the luminance should vary. Both, fish and baked products become more attractive to customers when the luminaire’s light output is higher and the illuminance is above the average value of the general area. Meat products are the least demanding in this respect.
When it comes to display lighting …
other considerations must also be borne in mind. The parameters of the accent light are one important aspect, but the background is just as important. When it comes to the design of a lighting system in retail facilities, designers also pay attention to the photometric mass, which depends on the optics of the luminaires and the installation angles of the LED lamps. Luminaires using this technology offer greater possibilities and savings, but more knowledge about light is required to influence customers’ purchasing decisions.
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