How to light a supermarket
Fresh produce is bought with the eyes. Light here must sell meat, fish, fruit and bread without falsifying their appearance or accelerating spoilage.
- Maintained illuminance
- 500–750 lx
- Glare (UGR)
- ≤ 22
- Colour rendering
- > 90 · espectro FOOD
- Colour temperature
- 3000–4000 K
- Uniformity
- ≥ 0,60
The sales floor is resolved with a uniform 500 lux and a contained power density: it is a large area with many operating hours, so every W/m² is multiplied by 4,000 hours a year.
The differentiating factor lies in the fresh sections. A FOOD spectrum reinforces reds at the butcher counter, silver-blues at the fish counter and greens in produce, increasing appeal without colour filters that falsify the goods.
General lighting must be homogeneous (U₀ ≥ 0.60) so the customer perceives the floor as tidy and clean; accent is then added on gondola ends and promotions, where impulse purchases are decided.
Unlike halogen, LED emits no radiant heat or UV onto the goods: less shrinkage in fresh produce and lower thermal load on refrigerated displays, which also cuts cooling consumption.
- Use the FOOD spectrum only on fresh islands: elsewhere on the floor it looks out of place.
- Align luminaires with the aisles, not with the ceiling grid: it guides the customer journey.
- Raise the level by 30–50 % on gondola ends and promotions compared with the sales floor.
- Provide zoned dimming: night restocking and cleaning do not need 100 %.
