A major supermarket’s engineering chief has stated that many lighting suppliers do not understand their products.

In a speech at the Retail Lighting and Energy Conference 2013, Mark Hawker of Sainsbury’s said: “50 per cent don’t understand their product, or their business case is over-inflated or just plain wrong.” He urged the 200 delegates at the conference to check the origins and quality controls of products marketed to them.

Greenlite Lighting Solutions Ltd, a specialist in energy-saving lighting, agrees that it is vital that lighting companies have a comprehensive knowledge of the technologies they sell, in order to provide the best solution for each individual client.

Andy Chell, Sales and Marketing Manager of the green lighting firm, Greenlite, says: “Many firms are promoting products, such as LEDs, based on performance statistics that are not relevant to all situations and are not independently verified and tested. We specify lighting technologies based on the circumstances of the building and the needs of the customer, rather than relying on blanket recommendations.”

He adds: “There are many spurious claims in the industry, which are giving LEDs a bad name. Clients are frightened of them, as they are not sure which claim is correct. Unfortunately, it is too easy to pick up a range of LEDs without having a profound understanding of the technology and then trying to sell these products to clients. Suppliers must carry out their own due diligence on the source manufacturer and carry out their own independent tests to verify the claims before speaking to clients.”