The Importance of using the Right Lighting in Food Retail

This is the first in a series of posts on Food Lighting. Getting your lighting right can make an enormous difference to your customers perceptions of the quality of your food products and ultimately your sales. In this first post we will discuss the importance of getting your lighting right to display your meat at its optimum and ultimately drive your 'Meat Sales'.

For retailers, the challenge is to showcase your produce to enable a quick sales turnaround and minimise food waste. As the purchase decision is based around the cosmetic appearance of the meat, any mild discolouration (regardless of meat quality), is viewed negatively by the customer and likely to inhibit a purchase.

A Brief Background to Lighting

When we talk about colour temperature, we are talking about the various shades of white light (cool, neutral and warm). Colour temperature is expressed in units called Kelvin. The lower the Kelvin value, the redder the light, and the higher the Kelvin value, the bluer the light. Warm white light has a Kelvin value of 2700 to 3000 Kelvin, and cool white light averages around 4500 Kelvin.

Certain light types emit certain wavelengths, and those wavelengths that are reflected by an object are the same which we see and therefore, we are able to associate a color with the object. Meat in this case. This is why light type can so greatly affect the perceived color of fresh meat and subsequently impact perceived freshness and quality.

Red Meat

For red meat, it is best to choose light with a warm white colour (2700 to 3000 Kelvin). This light highlights the freshness of meat products because warm white light contains more red shades. Steaks, rack of lamb, minced meat … all look much more appetizing due to the effects of this warm lighting colour. The red, fresh colour of meat is accentuated.

Philips developed the LED Rose Food series with a spectrum optimised for cut meat products. These lamps actually radiate rose-coloured light to emphasise the fresh, red colour of the meat. This way merchants could extend the shelf life of their fresh meat products and, at the same time, reduce waste.

Reducing meat discolouration

Discolored meat is less appetizing to customers, and the more light you shine on it, the quicker its appearance degrades. But on the other hand, produce displayed on shadowy shelving is unlikely to catch a customer’s eye.

The problem of waste

Unsold meat is never good news. The European Retail forum reported that food waste from meat products can have a significant impact on retailer revenue.

Although lighting-induced discoloration of sliced meat presents no hygiene or health problems, it can put customers off buying the product, reducing sales and increasing waste food. In addition, the fresh food areas are often the main reason a customer chooses a particular supermarket, discolored meat can reduce consumer loyalty.

Understanding the issue  

Philips Lighting - (now known as Signify) the global leader in lighting and lighting innovation and technology have been sinking their teeth into the discoloration problem. Recent research by Philips has helped us to understand how light spectrum, light level, and exposure time affect the appearance of sliced meat. The research also disproved an observed beneficial effect of applying UV or red-enhancing filters. These filters lower the light level and influence the visibility of discoloration – but they don’t stop the discoloration itself.

In addition to this laboratory research, Philips conducted in-store testing with a European supermarket chain. The results of these field tests corroborate laboratory findings, underscoring the fact that more light generally means less shelf life.

The Solution

A fresh solution is finally here. Philips has developed a range of luminaires that minimize discoloration by utilizing a specially selected light spectrum. Developed through years of close collaboration with local retailers, the science-backed system reduces waste and extends shelf life.

The Role of Lighting

The key to retail meat display is to present meat products in an attractive and saleable format. Effective sales depend on fresh appearance, the right colour perception and acceptable product quality. The role of lighting is to show the true quality of the meat, without detracting from appearance or deceiving the customer about product quality. Lighting can speed up product discoloration but is essential for marketing and presentation of meat.

Satisfied customers are repeat and loyal customers.

Unlike fruit and vegetables, where there is more engagement with the produce, the visual cues we receive from meat produce are more relevant and influential in our purchase decisions. Even without vacuum wrapped packaging, we would be unlikely to use our sense of touch and smell to assess raw meat. Customers look to see how pigmented, flush and red the meat is. This information tells us how healthy and safe the food would be to consume. We can assess how fresh the produce is and the time before it spoils.

Retailers are tasked with providing the correct lighting to communicate the authentic status of the meat which enables customers to make the right purchase decisions.

Summary

So what does all this mean. In a nutshell, if you are a retailer selling food and you are selling meat in particular, you need to ensure that you are using the right lighting in the right place for your food displays.

Pro-Light design and technology are experts in all aspects of food lighting. We know what works best and how to showcase your food so that it is displayed to sell. We have dedicated regional Lighting Consultants nationwide who have extensive experience helping some of the best known retailers in the country. We are also designated Value Added Partners of Philips Lighting in Ireland.

For further information call our Head Office on (01) 296 2607 or email us on info@pro-light.ie