LED system at Picard’s

According to the commitment signed in mid-Januarybetween the Federation ofTrade and Distribution (FCD) and Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the former Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Development, French food retailer should supply with at least 25% doors in their commercial refrigeration appliances intended for fresh products, by 2015 and 75% by 2020. So be it 700 kilometers for shelves and 300 000 for furniture, which will also require a review of their lighting. The T8 fluorescent tube emits 100% of its rated output at 25 °C of ambient temperature, this figure may drop by 60% at 5°C of ambient temperature. With this element, there may be a risk of a negative impact on merchandising and a decline of the impulsive purchases in some store shelves (fields of butchery and cheese…)   

 “What is well-illuminated is well-sold”

In the region of Paris, the company Picard has opted the LED lenses system instead of tubes in the vertical freezers with negative cold conditions. 80 sales outlets are concerned and 17 renovations are expected this year, compared to 13 last year. Aymar Le Roux, the chain’s Head for heritage and security, explains: “Given that tubes give hazy light, we have been looking for an alternative, because we know that whatever product is well-enlightened is sold.”  To highlight the visibility of the products, Picard has finally chosen the LED system, also practical with the freezing furniture at 5°C and their double glazing doors (which is mainly the case: from 45 to 50% of reducing the consumption with double glazing, and from 25 to 40% with single glazing). Aymar Le Roux certifies that “Tubes and LEDs are like chalk and cheese in terms of highlighting products, and even our customers have asked us about the secret of this change after each renovation.” The uniform light and the lifetime of footlights (up to 40.000 hours) in addition to the decrease of the energy consumption (up to 75%) are also significant. Once the new equipment of its 80 sales outlets has finished, Picard predicts to get back the investment within three and a half to four years. 

Far more than just savings

Whatever the case may be, Picard refuses to be restricted by a purely economic approach. Aymar Le Roux points out: “We are talking about a factor. It is the lighting which influences directly the sales, so that if we take into consideration the first encouraging results, we can’t help hastening the renovation of our window display.”Commercially, it is a beneficial approach (though it is impossible for the moment to provide figures about the precise impact on the receipts) which has been registered in sustainable development concerns.

 

Figures of Picard’s experience

·      Installation of the LED system in the vertical freezers’ windows in 80 stores

·      13 renovation carried out in 2011, 17 envisaged this year with a rate of 15 footlights of LEDs per store

·      A return  of outlay within three to four years

·      Renovating a store needs from one to one and a half day closure of windows

 

 

 

Introduction: LSA magazine