Halogen Lightbulb Sales to be Banned in the UK

Halogen lightbulb sales are banned in the UK from September, under government plans to tackle climate change. A ban on sales of fluorescent lights will follow at a later date.

The move will cut carbon emissions by 1.26 million tonnes a year, and save consumers money. This cut in carbon emissions is the equivalent of taking over half a million cars off the UK’s roads.

Under EU rules, the UK started phasing out sales of higher-energy halogen lightbulbs in 2018. Now this will go even further, preventing retailers from selling all other halogen bulbs too, such as kitchen spotlights.

The plan will aid in shifting to low-energy LED lightbulbs, which now account for around two thirds of Britain’s light sales. The hope is that by 2030, LEDs will account for 85% of all bulbs sold.

LED lights last five times longer than traditional halogen bulbs. They still produce the same amount of light, while using up to 80% less power.

‘Less waste’

There will also be changes to energy labels on packaging, to help consumers choose the most efficient lightbulbs. Efficiency will be graded between A-G, and A+, A++ and A+++ ratings will cease to exist. Only the most efficient bulbs will receive an A rating.

Plans are also introduced to phase out the use of high-energy fluorescent bulbs, such as strip lights often found in offices. Legislation on banning sales of fluorescent lights is expected to come into force from September 2023. One idea for a more energy efficient alternative, is to incorporate LED bulbs into the fluorescent light fittings.

Many types of halogen bulbs are already banned, so this move is just tightening up on energy waste, and not a huge upheaval. It is nothing like the time when the EU banned old-fashioned incandescent bulbs that used a lot of electricity by giving off more heat than light.

“A brighter cleaner future”

If the UK want to meet their pledges on tackling climate change, they need to look at every sector of the economy, and aspects of our lives.

The plans for lightbulb sales are only part of a set of measures designed to save consumers money. It also includes the right for repairs, new energy labels and higher efficiency standards for electrical appliances.

Getting rid of inefficient halogen bulbs for good, and changing to longer-lasting LEDs instead, means “less waste and a brighter and cleaner future for the UK”.

Households will also save money on utility bills if electrical appliances use less energy, but perform just as well.

Consumers should be able to just switch higher wattage bulbs straight to LEDs. But lower wattage fittings, which use transformers, may need a new transformer to work with LED bulbs.

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