Philips new lamps for shops offer up to 70% energy savings, while offering significantly better quality of light

Milan, Italy – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) will announce tonight at the Illuminesca Event in Milan the next step in retail lighting with the launch of its new energy efficient range of lamps for retail, the MasterColour CDM Elite. The new lamps provide unbeatable light quality in a retail environment such as fashion stores, furniture shops, department stores and many others. It offers a crisp white light for greater sparkle which means retailers can now display their merchandise like never before, in an energy efficient way.

Climate change and energy efficiency are a key theme. At a global level research has shown that approximately 75% of all lighting currently installed is based on older less efficient technologies. By switching this to the latest lighting technologies such as MasterColour Elite, achievable average savings of 40% are possible. For all lighting, this would mean more than 100 billion euros in running costs per year and more than 550 million tonnes of CO2 saved.



Research shows that lighting in the European retail sector currently uses 47 Terra watt/hours per year (1 Terra Watt is 1,000 billion watts) but this could be cut significantly if retailers switch to more energy efficient solutions such as MasterColour CDM Elite. Figures from Philips show that the lamps are up to 70 per cent more energy efficient than halogen alternatives and can save up to a 100kg CO2 per year per lamp. This amounts to savings of EUR 1.35 billion and 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year.



Saving energy (and cost) is one; improving quality is another key aspect. The advances of MasterColour Elite recognize the fact that in a retail environment, people are drawn to shops with an attractive and inviting ambience, and want to trust the colours they see inside. For retailers, lighting should have great ‘stopping power’, enhance merchandise and maintain its quality throughout its long life. The new range helps retailers realize these ambitions while also addressing the practical challenge of low energy consumption and low running costs.



Independent research of 250 shoppers in Germany in June 2007 showed they had a clear preference for fashion retail shops using MasterColour Elite. In particular, shoppers stressed the genuine and realistic appearance of colours, as well as the energetic impression and inviting atmosphere of retail displays lit by Elite.



Importantly, Philips MasterColour Elite delivers this outstanding performance at reduced cost. Its extremely high efficiency means that less power is needed for every lumen of light that is produced so less energy is turned into heat, thereby creating a more pleasant environment for customers and retail staff.



In summary, MasterColour CDM Elite offers a triple win scenario. The shoppers and shop owners get the highest quality light source with all the benefits this brings, the shop owners save money on their electricity bill and the environment benefits from the lower energy consumption.