Regulation cannot dim LEDs: Are Ecodesign lighting performance standards a recipe for wholesale profit or confusion?

摘要

This is a very exciting time for the lighting industry. For 100 years the incandescent light bulb ruled the world, but in the last few years we've seen an explosion of energy efficient products coming onto the market, first with CFLs and most recently with an array of LED products being produced. However, with so many new products being introduced at a rapid pace, regulators are now understandably introducing standards to ensure that bulbs are of sufficiently good quality for consumers. New European performance standards for lighting, known as Ecodesign, are helping to push the lighting industry forward, and will over the next few years take the inefficient and poor quality lighting products off the shelves. However, it is also a time when we need to stop and think about the impact that this rapid period of change might be having on wholesalers.