Many consumers are being left in the dark weeks after the phasing out of halogen lightbulbs...
Since 1 September 2018, the popular halogen lightbulb can no longer be sold across the UK and EU, once existing stock has run out.
A consumer survey, commissioned by LED light company LEDVANCE , has
found that despite people being willing to explore energy efficient
lighting options, they tend to use less energy efficient halogen
lightbulbs.
When it comes to choosing a lightbulb to buy, concerns over price (59%)
and energy efficiency (56%) were joined by quality of the product (47%)
in the top consumer considerations. LED lightbulbs give longer-term
financial and energy advantages over halogen,
but UK shoppers still seem unaware of the benefits of LED.
37% of those surveyed said 90% of the lightbulbs in their home are
halogen. Meanwhile, a third (33%) wish the phase out of halogen bulbs
wasn’t happening. 38% feel they will lose money as a result of the
change. More worryingly, 42% are not even aware of the
phase out of halogen lightbulbs.
Peter Alexander, Head of Retail Sales UK & Ireland from LEDVANCE, says, “Falling prices, rising efficiency and greater durability of LED lamps is precisely the criteria that would make people switch to LED technology. However, the percentage of consumers using predominantly halogen lightbulbs demonstrates a lack of awareness over the benefits of the right lighting for their own needs.”
A survey from LEDVANCE conducted before the 1 September enforcement, showed the UK lagged behind its European counterparts in terms of awareness halogen of the directive. Only 35 percent of Brits were aware of the impending change, compared with 58% in Italy, 51% in France, 51% in Germany and 39% in Sweden. While UK consumer awareness has grown, it is still not where it needs to be.
Things to look for when buying LED lampsThere are already a large number energy-efficient and cost-effective LED alternatives to halogen lamps on the market, such as those from LEDVANCE’s OSRAM LED lightbulbs, which look remarkably like their halogen predecessors.
LED retrofit lamps equipped with the latest filament technology are a good example as they can be used as direct replacements for old halogen light bulbs. The replacement products are available as all-glass versions, as dimmable versions and either clear or frosted.
To ensure that during the transition phase consumers can familiarise
themselves with the new products they should check the following
information provided on the packaging by the manufacturers:
- The LED designation
- The wattage information which includes both the “old” wattage of the incandescent lamp and the “new” wattage of the LED lamp, providing an indirect indication of potential energy savings
- The lifetime, given in hours and years, which is seven times longer than that of the halogen “predecessors”
- The light colour, ranging from warm white to cold white.