EU and UK Fluorescent Bulb Ban
As of February 2025, the sale of all fluorescent lighting will officially come to an end in the EU and UK. Here’s what you need to know about the ban on fluorescent bulbs—and how VeriVide can help you achieve greater colour accuracy with our All-LED solutions.
Farewell to fluorescent lighting – when and why?
The phase-out of fluorescent lighting has been in progress for years. This is because fluorescent lamps contain mercury – a substance found to be harmful for both people and the planet. Under the EU Commission’s RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directives, all lamps containing mercury were banned for general use from 24 August 2023, impacting the illumination of homes, factories and retail environments.
For specialist applications, including visual and digital colour assessment, an exemption was granted until 24 February 2025. This deadline, now just days away, signals the end of fluorescent lighting even in these specialist fields. After this date, VeriVide, along with other light booth manufacturers, will no longer be able to sell new fluorescent-based light booths, including our CAC (colour assessment cabinet). The EU and UK Fluorescent Bulb ban initially applies to Europe but legislation is rapidly being adopted globally.
Can existing fluorescent products still be used for colour assessment?
Yes, for now…
While stocks last, VeriVide will be able to supply our customers with replacement lamps for these standard fluorescent-based products with specialist lamps such as the VeriVide CIE D65 and CIE D50 Artificial Daylight lamps.
But…
The world is rapidly moving away from fluorescents. Countries such as India, Australia and several US states are also bringing in restrictions, indicating a global shift. To keep pace with these changes and to future-proof operations, companies should consider reviewing and adapting their colour management processes.
Why LEDs are the future
LED technology is the ideal alternative to fluorescent lighting. Not only are LED lights mercury-free, eliminating the health and environmental risks associated with the disposal of fluorescents, they also use significantly less energy. It’s estimated that the overall shift to LED bulbs will cut 1.26 million tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of removing over half a million cars from UK roads.*
Recognising the benefits of LEDs, and in preparation for the EU and UK fluorescent bulb ban, VeriVide has spent the last decade developing and optimising our industry-leading All-LED light booths…
VeriVide’s All-LED tunable technology for colour assessment – 10 years in the making
Our tunable All-LED UltraView and VisionView light booths are essential tools for assessing colour and colour matching from prototype materials to final products and can be used across different industries including Textiles & Apparels, Plastics, Food & Drink, Inks, Paints & Coatings, Printing & Packaging, Automotive and Aerospace and many more.
Launched and introduced to the market in June 2023 at the ITMA exhibition in Milan, the UltraView light booth has now been adopted and exclusively specified by multiple brands and retailers, including those below. Furthermore, UltraView is being rolled out to their global supply chains for their visual colour approval process.
How can LED light booths benefit my business?
VeriVide’s UltraView and VisionView light booths have been designed to meet the highest standards of colour assessment (meeting or surpassing ISO 3668, 3664 and national and international standards).
Other key benefits include:
Energy efficiency: LEDs use far less energy compared to fluorescents, helping businesses lower electricity costs and reduce carbon footprints.
Longevity: Fluorescent lamps traditionally used in light booths need to be replaced every 2,000 hours or annually, while LEDs have a much longer life span.
Cost efficiency: Reduced energy use and less frequent maintenance make LEDs a smart long-term investment.
Versatility: UltraView and VisionView can be pre-programmed to meet various brand and retailer specifications, eliminating the need for multiple light booths.
Time to embrace the new era of LED technology
With the fluorescent ban just around the corner, this is the perfect time to transition to LED technology. Not only will you meet regulatory requirements, but you’ll also enjoy the benefits of improved efficiency, reduced costs, and superior colour assessment accuracy.
At VeriVide, we’re here to help. Our team will work closely with you to ensure a smooth transition tailored to your specific needs.
Talk to us today about making the change. Contact enquiries@verivide.com
“With UltraView from VeriVide, we are confident in the knowledge that we have future-proofed our capability for visual assessment of colour.” Gary Timmons, Fabric Technologist at NEXT
References
*https://www.gov.uk/government/news/end-of-halogen-light-bulbs-spells-brighter-and-cleaner-future