LED retail lighting has received a major boost; top UK retailer M&S launches its dream of 100% energy efficient shop lighting

In its latest sustainability salvo, M&S has set headline goals to retrofit its entire estate to LED.

M&S Head of Facilities Management Munish Datta told EDIE of his dream that by 2025, M&S will have a 100% LED estate across the UK, and be making inroads internationally towards similar goals.

“We’ve now rolled out LED lighting to all of our food halls and we’re retrofitting at a great pace and scale,” Datta continued.

The news pays testament to truths long known at Greenlite; LEDs are established firmly in the mainstream. They now perform better than conventional lighting in terms of light output, colour, run more efficiently at lower temperatures and offer superb Colour Rendering Index (CRI).

Increasingly well understood is the financial argument behind retail retrofits; M&S has seen a £625m net benefit from its sustainability strategy, with £30m generated from energy savings last year alone.

LEDs cannot stand alone; the best strategy involves people

Intriguingly, Datta also explained, “About a quarter of the 36% energy benefit that we’ve had was through communicating with people.”

While retail lighting solutions can do a lot to embed overall sustainability, it also highlights the important role that staff engagement has to play in implementing positive change.

The solution lies in communicating the benefits of LEDs within retail; helping staff understand LED lighting's scope, and running trials to engage them in the process. Appointing a lighting supplier with proven success in using LEDs to enhance store displays will help to demonstrate why LEDs are the future in retail light.

Managing this people-centric change, which should occur alongside a retrofit is vital. Without this, LEDs can be fitted, but maintenance and operational understanding may be lacking, and additional opportunities provided by the retrofit can be missed.

Steps towards a lighter impact retail world

At Greenlite, we welcome M&S moves on LEDs. But as crucially, we welcome Datta's holistic stance, that sees LEDs not as a one off win, but as a valuable part of overall behavioural and cultural change within an organisation.

“Greenlite wants to help retailers embrace the LED revolution,” says Bob Hall, Greenlite Director. “But to truly achieve sustainability in an organisation, LEDs and retrofits must deliver on people, estate; every aspect of an organisation's work must come within scope.”

His attitude is becoming more and more prevalent within forward thinking organisations; the realisation that sustainability is not just about tech, it's about the people that use it.

Greenlite is keen to support the M&S stance; we are proud to offer our advice and knowledge to any retailer seeking to make the switch to sustainable lighting.

Contact us today. We'll be delighted to advise on your estate, and start you down the path to sustainability.