Light bulbs

Energy saving light bulbs are some of the most commonly purchased of all sustainable products. Here you can find the official Government Buying Standards to follow in your procurement.

What does sustainability mean for light bulbs?

Energy saving light bulbs can be a proven way to reduce bills and – because they have a longer life-span than traditional bulbs – reduce consumption of raw materials. Because of this, government has set standards at the highest possible level for every type of bulb, maximising the benefits and continuing to support light bulb manufacturers to raise their standards.

The specifications are based on EU-wide standards: you can access the UK regulations based on the EU standards (see Schedule 3).

All central government departments and their related organisations must ensure that they meet at least the mandatory Government Buying Standards when buying goods and services in the product groups covered on this site.

Lamps are also an area in which there is a significant interest in innovation procurement, such as the SBRI project on ultra-effiicient lighting supported by Defra.

• Read the specifications for light bulbs online
• Download the specification as PDF

See also

• Reduce your lighting bills further with energy control gear for lighting;
• Innovation procurement for ultra-efficient lighting:
  • Small Business Research Initiative project;
  • Long life bulb project (pdf);
  • Intelligent mirror lamp project (pdf).