AN award-winning supermarket group has made the switch to LED lighting to enhance the retail experience for its customers while slashing harmful Co2 emissions.

Tout’s Budgens in Somerset chose to completely refurbish its Cheddar supermarket with LED lighting after seeing the light quality and energy savings the latest LED technology can provide.

They asked experts at award-winning LED lighting specialists MHA Lighting to devise a scheme for the re-launch of their Church Street store which would showcase the fresh, quality produce they are famous for to best effect.

MHA Lighting replaced traditional fluorescents with 84 of their unique TiLite fittings from its patented product range. A further 38 LED down lighters were installed in the store’s Subway concession (over tables) and in the pharmacy areas.

The new installation not only achieves high colour rendering of 80CRI with 4500 kelvin – the optimal colour for displaying produce – but has cut lighting energy costs and Co2 production by 65%.

MHA Lighting Managing Director Tom Harrison said: “Our installation has provided Tout’s Budgens at Cheddar with energy savings of £89,539 over the product’s lifetime.

“Equally importantly we have managed to save 567 Co2 tonnes.“The lighting system is also extremely low maintenance and will run for 60,000 hours of continuous use.”

In the case of Tout’s Budgens at Cheddar - with an 18 hour a day operation - this means that the lights will not need replacing for nine years and will save an added £12,880 on routine maintenance.

The lack of heat given off by LED lighting allows further energy savings to be made through reduced use of air conditioning systems. The machines do not have to work as hard to cool down additional heat in the shop, which is beneficial for open refrigerators.

MHA Lighting’s technology is unique as it shines the light from the LED sideways then reflects it into the area to be illuminated. This emits a bright, clean, white light which is uniformly distributed, in the manner of a fluorescent.

The fully-sealed units do not attract dust or insects making them the most hygienic option for any supermarket.

Philip Tout, owner of Tout’s Budgens, said: “We chose to make the switch to LED lighting as part of our commitment to improving the customer experience and reducing the carbon footprint of the business.

“MHA Lighting provided a LED lighting solution that not only improves lighting levels but reduces our on-going energy costs and equivalent Co2 emissions.

“We are delighted with the results and are are already getting positive feedback from our customers about how great the new store looks and the feel of the store created by the light.

“All our stores stock the best quality fresh produce from local growers and the LED lighting really enhances the appearance of our fruit and veg and butchery offering.”

Tom added: “We are thrilled that Tout’s Budgens chose MHA Lighting to refurbish their showcase store in Cheddar and are proud to say that the installation looks fantastic.

“MHA Lighting’s TiLite fittings create daylight indoors and provide the precise high colour rendering required for retail environments to show off fresh produce to best effect.

“The retail sector is proving to be a high growth area for us as more store owners are realising our LED lighting can not only save them up to 80% in energy costs but also improve their retail offering.

“As electricity prices continue to soar it is vital that retailers make use of every competitive advantage, particularly when you consider that around 80% of a building’s energy costs are lighting.

“Tout’s Budgens store at Cheddar is a shining example of how a savvy store owner can harness the benefits of LED lighting to improve retail image, make huge savings in energy and maintenance bills and slash Co2 emissions by 567 tonnes.”

Other retailers that have recently purchase lighting systems from MHA Lighting include: Cost Cutter, SPAR, Mace, Roadchef and various independent stores.

About MHA Lighting
MHA Lighting has been in operation since December 2009 and is a subsidiary company of MHA Int-Elect, which has more than 10 years’ experience in designing and developing innovative electronic solutions.
Fully approved and accredited, this unique and patented technology successfully delivers the advantages of ‘traditional lighting’ - uniformly distributed, glare-free and safe viewing, clean, fresh light - from an LED lighting solution.

MHA lighting uses award-winning patented Luminanz technology in the design and manufacture of all its products.

All of MHA lights come as fully sealed units and are designed for durability. The rugged and robust design will not break or explode like standard fluorescents.