EuroShop 2023 to Highlight Sustainable Lighting Solutions

(PRESS RELEASE) Climate change and the energy crisis are current challenges which retailers across all investment sectors must address – using the latest digital technologies and innovative products. This applies in particular to store lighting, one of the largest energy consumers in food retail – and especially in the non-food sector: accounting for a 55% of energy consumption, the latter is a key target for energy-saving measures at the POS. At EuroShop – The World’s No. 1 Retail Trade Fair – to be held from February 26 – February 2, 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany, companies exhibiting in the Dimension Lighting in Hall 9 will showcase their concepts and ideas for the sustainable, energy-efficient and at the same time individual illumination of the retail space. This Dimension is designed, among other things, to drive the energy transition in the retail sector.

However, high efficiency and significantly lower LED prices, have contributed to a curious situation: the energy-saving potential of LEDs continues to be underutilized. This can be attributed to poor light planning and high-waste LED application. Currently however, store operators can no longer afford this in the wake of digital change and scarce energy resources. A different mindset is needed to take energy savings to the next level and architects. This topic is more than ever in the focus of the store lighting exhibitors at EuroShop, retailers, lighting planners and architects. Lighting quality and smart lighting systems must increasingly enter the retail landscapes as the two pillars of contemporary lighting technology, both nationally and internationally, and this is a matter of particular urgency, emphasize lighting designers and luminaire manufacturers. Exhibitors will therefore also use the trade fair platform to further increase awareness and know-how for intelligent control systems and quality in lighting technology.

Saving Energy with Illumination – the Next Step

The focus for many retailers is still on the refurbishment of lighting systems .Lighting experts continue to stress that refurbishing conventional lighting with LED luminaires can save up to 50% in energy costs while reducing environmental burdens at the same time. If LED lighting is also combined with light management systems and sensors – such as movement or daylight sensors – the energy-saving potential can even be substantially higher.

This is precisely the mission of the Swedish ITAB Group at EuroShop. The exhibitors’ dynamic lighting solutions are designed to cut energy costs in half while improving the customer experience at the same time. “We have succeeded in doubling the light output ratio which also shortens pay-back times,” says Chris Bright, ITAB Vice President Solution Design, explaining a further savings effect of such measures. Simple – if necessary – pre-programmable light control systems that can be effortlessly refitted using Bluetooth or other wireless technologies can increase the already noticeable energy savings as much as the integration of sensors, software and digital services. This means smart building management including a connected lighting infrastructure offers the best prerequisites for sustainably optimizing energy consumption and workflows on retail spaces.

But this is just the start: new solutions in the lighting industry also focus on optimizing suitability for the circular economy in order to minimize the complete (and long-term) carbon footprint of illumination installations. Bamberg-based exhibitor RZB will present a multi-functional surface-mounted and recessed luminaire as part of its sustainable lighting solutions and management systems in Düsseldorf. This luminaire scores points in terms of environmental protection and resource conservation by means of exchangeable components and a multi-lumen package feature. Alongside the replaceability and reusability of luminaire components the focus is on innovative packaging concepts for luminaires.

Modern Lighting Concepts Enhance the Customer Experience

Energy saving and environmental protection are undoubtedly high priorities in current lighting design. But other future topics also provide exhibitors and trade visitors with inspiration for store lighting. From the sector’s point of view, store lighting, as the most powerful emotional and especially flexible tool – has a particular role to play in staging products and bricks-and-mortar retail spaces. At the same time, digital illumination also offers the right infrastructure to blend the physical and digital worlds into one holistic and unique experience.

This means smart lighting solutions are another advantage for retailers: during the digital transformation they help them to stay more attractive than their rapidly growing online competitors. The Covid pandemic with its lockdowns over the past two years has put offline retail under added pressure just as much as current record energy prices – leading to perceivable reservations on the shoppers’ part. So the attractive illumination of products, retail areas and architecture is a key theme when it comes to securing the sector’s future. The task is to make shoppers return to the physical stores again, thrill them, create brand experiences – because brand loyalty is largely built during the contact between shoppers and merchandise. One example is the new building complex of the Bamberg-based Mercedes-Benz dealership Scholz. The new building was effectively staged in terms of lighting technology by RZB Leuchten, Bamberg, at all six customer touchpoints and, with the right light in the right place, makes a significant contribution to the success of the new Mercedes-Benz brand architecture.

The prerequisite for a positive customer experience in offline retail is to understand customer needs from A to Z and be able to respond to these in a tailor-made fashion for each individual shopper. This customer journey already starts in the parking lot and when entering the store, continuing in the various departments and ending when they leave the store through the check-out area. For each stage of this journey, convincing (lighting) solutions must be offered based on shoppers’ specific needs. Indispensable for this is a connected light infrastructure that enables digital communication and services such as indoor navigation, mobile push marketing and virtual customer service, thereby contributing to a positive customer experience.

With smart lighting technology, the boundaries between online and offline retail are also becoming increasingly blurred. Omni-channeling as a key component of the customer experience significantly strengthens the competitiveness of offline retailers compared to their online counterparts. The advantage of e-commerce vs. classic bricks-and-mortar business still lies in the transparency of shoppers: what shoppers do and buy online is already tracked and analyzed and this data is used to make online shoppers appealing, personalized offers. This is precisely what physical retailers must now be able to do – thereby enhancing the customer experience even further. It is the key to building customer loyalty and boosting sales.

The Special Areas at EuroShop – Filled with Ideas

Also featured again as part of EuroShop 2023 will be the Italian Lighting Lounge. In this special area, Italian brand manufacturers  from the lighting sector will showcase a comprehensive cross-section of products and components specifically for retail on over 300 square meters. On show will be a wide range of ideas on how to illuminate sales areas attractively and according to specific needs and requirements, effectively showcasing various products with different color temperatures. In all of this, aesthetic purity, material quality and perfect finish –  the very essence of Italian lighting design – must be retained.

EuroShop will be  open to trade visitors from February 26 to March 2, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Tickets are only available online at www.euroshop.de/2130.  1-day tickets cost € 70, 2-day tickets € 120  and  5-day tickets € 165.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at  EuroShop 2023, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.euroshop-tradefair.com and www.mdna.com; For the EuroShop online magazine: mag.euroshop.de/en