Types of shop lighting

The four most popular types of retail shop lighting

Whether you are opening a new shop or changing the design of an existing one, it can be hard to decide which type of lighting suits you best. A solution a classic clothing store finds ineffective may have plenty of advantages for, say, a sportswear store. Here are some of the most popular types of retail lighting.

Multi-beam lighting of the whole floor

This method was first used in galleries and museums and is now a very popular type of lighting that creates a dramatic lighting scheme. But such a project costs much more to carry out, and not every shop can afford it. Lighting a large area this way takes many track luminaires to give the shop enough light. Modern LED chips are energy-efficient, but the initial cost is an important factor too. Lighting a shop with track luminaires only emphasises the status of the brand and suits shops with expensive goods.

Lighting focused on the goods

Accent lighting in shops is usually used to show off individual products: new arrivals, premium goods or promotions. Accent light has to be brighter than the general light on the sales floor so the customer notices the highlighted product. Use sources with a high colour rendering index: the product looks far more attractive and the chance of a purchase grows. This type of lighting uses general lighting sources together with track luminaires on a busbar.

General lighting of the shop only

If you want a more relaxed atmosphere in your shop, you can use general flood light only. This option of retail lighting provides general light across the whole sales area. The light should be bright enough for customers to see your product well, but not so bright that it causes discomfort. When choosing this scheme, remember that shelving and other objects blocking the light can leave shadows or dark areas in the shop. It is carried out with recessed, surface-mounted and pendant luminaires.

Lighting designed with track spotlights only

This method was first used in galleries and museums and is now a very popular type of lighting that creates a dramatic lighting scheme. But such a project costs much more to carry out, and not every shop can afford it. Lighting a large area this way takes many track luminaires to give the shop enough light. Modern LED chips are energy-efficient, but the initial cost is an important factor too. Lighting a shop with track luminaires only emphasises the status of the brand and suits shops with expensive goods.