In the world of commerce, lighting plays a crucial role. Beyond the functional aspect, it helps to create an atmosphere, guide the customer in their journey, and above all, strategically highlight products.
This article explores good lighting practices according to the types of products and the most suitable technical solutions for each sector. It also presents feedback on the Monoprix brand, where we were able to study the impact of lighting changes on sales and other commercial indicators.
Why is lighting essential in retail?
Lighting plays a fundamental role in the way products are perceived. Inappropriate lighting can distort colors, diminish visual appeal and project a lower quality image, which can deter potential customers. Conversely, well-designed lighting reveals product details, enhances their visual appeal, and encourages impulse purchases.
In addition, it helps create a strong and recognizable brand identity, thereby strengthening customer memorability and loyalty.
The Basics of Commercial Lighting
To ensure optimal product enhancement and create a successful customer experience, it is crucial to understand and apply some fundamental lighting principles. By playing with elements such as Color Rendering Index (CRI), light distribution and color temperature, it is possible to transform the ambiance of a retail space while effectively guiding customers’ eyes to key products.
Here are some details on these key elements to consider when designing effective retail lighting that is tailored to your needs:
- Color Rendering Index (CRI): The higher the CRI (maximum 100), the more natural and vibrant the colors appear. faithful.
- Light distribution: General lighting (indirect) and accent lighting (direct) must be combined to optimally showcase the products.
- Color temperature: Measured in Kelvin (K), it influences the general atmosphere. For example:
- Warm light (<3000K) for a welcoming environment.
- Neutral light (3500K to 4000K) for a balanced atmosphere.
- Cold light (>5000K) for a feeling of cleanliness and modernity.
Feel free to read our article dedicated to color temperatures.
Lighting solutions adapted to different types of businesses
1. Fashion Stores
- Objective: To highlight the textures, patterns and colors of clothing.
- Technical solutions :
- Recommended products : COB LED spotlights with interchangeable lenses for an adjustable beam, discreet LED strips to highlight displays, and directional LED ceiling lights for key areas, Spots on adjustable LED tracks with CRI 90 (Allows you to direct light onto key elements such as mannequins or shelves)
- Color temperature: 3000K to 4000K for an elegant atmosphere.
- IRC ≥ 90: Guarantees color fidelity.
Depending on the type of clothing (from low-cost to luxury fashion), the positioning and the brand identity, it is possible to play on the color and light intensity to reflect the desired message. For franchises or multiple locations, it is essential to maintain lighting consistency in order to guarantee a uniform identity across all points of sale.
2. Supermarkets and supermarkets
- Objective: Differentiate areas (fresh products, canned goods, etc.) and draw attention to promotions.
- Technical solutions :
- Recommended products: PAR38 LED lamps with customized spectrum, directional LED spotlights for targeted lighting, LED strips integrated into the shelves to enhance the products in the display window, and RGB LED modules for customizable lighting effects according to the campaigns or seasons, Recessed LED strips (Uniform lighting for the shelves)
- Accent lighting: LED spotlights for gondola heads.
- Color temperature :
- Fresh products: 4000K for neutrality.
- Promotions: >5000K for dynamic light.
For the different departments of a store, it is essentialto adopt suitable lighting. For example, warmer lighting can enhance the bakery or delicatessen sections, while cooler light will highlight the freshness of dairy products or fruits and vegetables. If your business has multiple locations (as is the case with franchises), it is crucial to maintain consistency in the overall lighting identity in order to strengthen the brand image.
However, adjustments can be made to adapt to the specificities of each point of sale, while remaining faithful to the lighting identity of the brand.
3. Jewelry
- Objective: Highlight the shine and details of jewelry.
- Technical solutions:
- Recommended products: LED spotlights with DALI dimming (the spotlights create light points to attract the eye), recessed LED ceiling lights for even diffusion, LED strips under the display cases for subtle lighting of presentations, LED spotlights on rails to adjust the light points, and tunable LED modules to adjust the color temperature according to needs.
- Color temperature: 4000K to 5000K for a vibrant appearance.
- CRI ≥ 90.
4. Pharmacies
- Objective: Inspire cleanliness and confidence.
- Technical solutions:
- Recommended products: Ultra-thin recessed LED panels with intelligent brightness management, suspended LED ceiling lights for even light distribution, LED track spotlights to highlight key areas, and dimmable recessed LED spotlights for precise lighting control.
- Color temperature: 5000K to 6000K (neutral white lighting).
- CRI ≥ 80: Sufficient for this type environment.
Explore our online store, which is full of LED products suitable for your businesses (panels, projectors, LED strips, recessed LEDs, etc.)
Integration of connected solutions
Connected lighting offers additional benefits:
- Dynamic management: Adjust brightness and color temperature according to the time or crowds.
- Creation of scenarios and automations: Imagine scenarios to improve the customer experience, or carry outs energy savings. Make your different connected devices interact.
- Recommended products: DALI or Zigbee lighting systems compatible with management solutions such as Home Assistant. At PRECISION LED, we offer a custom-made professional home automation solution: the Box PRECISION LED, click here to learn more!
Feedback: increased sales at Monoprix thanks to lighting modifications
A study conducted in 2005 in a Monoprix supermarket in France evaluated the impact of additional lighting on consumer behavior.
The results showed that this development led to:
- Increased number of items purchased: Customers exposed to the additional lighting purchased more products on average than those in the control group.
- Increased amount spent: The average shopping basket of customers in the illuminated area increased significantly.
- Increased unplanned purchases: The additional lighting stimulated impulse purchases, increasing the number of items not initially planned.
- Increased Return Intent: Customers expressed a stronger intention to return to the department with optimized lighting.
These results demonstrate that lighting plays a crucial role in the shopping experience, influencing not only immediate purchasing behaviors, but also customer perception and satisfaction.
Source: THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL POINT OF LIGHTING SALE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSES by DR. Fatma Ezzahra BAKINI DRISS, and complementary article
Our tips and tricks to optimize the lighting of your business
Here are our various tips and tricks to optimize the lighting of your business, depending on the objective desired:
| Technique | Description | Benefits |
| Use ambient lighting to create a mood. | Ambient lighting provides general illumination of the store. It should be soft and diffused to create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. | Ambient lighting can help create a sense of calm and relaxation, encouraging customers to spend more time in the store and explore more products. |
| Use accent lighting to highlight products. | Accent lighting is used to highlight specific products or areas of the store. It should be brighter than ambient lighting and can be focusedor diffused to create different effects. | Accent lighting draws attention to products and makes them more visually appealing. It also creates visual interest and segments spaces. |
| Use task lighting for focused light. | Task lighting provides focused light for specific activities, such as reading or trying on clothes. It should be bright enough for customers to see what they are doing without being too harsh or glaring. | Task lighting improves customer satisfaction by making tasks easier. It also helps reduce accidents by providing better visibility. |
| Use color temperature to create different moods. | Color temperature defines how warm or cool the light is. Warm light (2700-3000K) is more relaxing and welcoming, while cool light (4000-5000K) is more energizing and stimulating. | For example, warm light promotes a calmer shopping experience, while cool light can energize and stimulate the store atmosphere. |
| Use dimmable lights to create flexibility. | Dimmable lights allow you to adjust the brightness of the store. This is useful for creating different moods or adjusting lighting to different times of the day. | Dimmable lights provide greater flexibility and help create optimal lighting for the store. |
| Use high CRI, high quality fixtures. | Fixtures should be well designed and durable. They should also have a high CRI for better color rendition. | High-quality fixtures with a high CRI improve the overall appearance of the store and better highlight products. |
Well-designed lighting is a strategic investment for any business. By adopting solutions adapted to each type of product and integrating connected technologies, you can not only enhance your products but also improve the customer experience and increase your sales.
For any questions, contact PRECISION LED, our experts will answer you quickly.
