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Blossoming Sales For Florists Using New Lighting Technology

A high-tech retail lighting company is taking the wilt out of floral department displays while blooming their consumer sales.

"Sophisticated consumers are attracted to exotic and novelty flowers which have soft and delicate colors," says Jamie Orr, Regional Sales Manager, Promolux Inc. "The trouble is most standard light bulbs used in flower displays will distort and wash out the beautiful shades of colors which are natural in flowers."

Promolux lighting offers tremendous advantages to florists and floral department managers including light that's designed to show true colors in flowers covering the full visible spectrum from deep purple to deep red including every shade in between, say company officials. As a result floral displays are seen in their natural beauty without color distortion. Company officials add "less product spoilage and an increase in customer eye appeal, impacts directly on consumer impulse buying."

Most open displays are under too much heat from the dry air in the store and this is further intensified by the UV radiation from the light sources or the display cases in the store, Orr says. " Ultraviolet radiation emitted from general purpose lamps encourages bacterial growth, enzymes, dehydration and oxidation, which break down product appearance," he says. "By using Promolux lights, retailers typically experience from one to three days extra shelf life."

Also, heat and UV radiation can cause the buds to ‘blast' or fall off, resulting in flowers that look worn and requires stems to be cut more often. Another problem effecting shelf life of flowers is ethylene gas which causes premature drying or wilting, general chemical degeneration and fermentation in the water where the flowers are stored. UV radiation and heat can increase the effect of ethylene gas, whereas lower UV and cooler temperatures block this effect.

"The low UV of Promolux lamps means they are ideal to protect and extend the shelf life of cut flowers," says Orr. "This is especially true for more sensitive spring flowers such as the iris, tulips, daffodils and roses." The company explains Promolux lamps are specifically designed for specialized areas such as displays of flowers and plants. They provide a perfect balance of color output to reveal the highest contrast for each and every shade of natural color.

"Today, consumers are demanding premium quality freshness, and if they don't find it in your floral display cases, they'll not purchase," Orr says. "Upgrading your lighting display cases with Promolux specialty lamps will save you money by increasing shelf life and by increasing consumer impulse purchases."

The company says floral managers consider Promolux an ideal investment because in many cases extended shelf life and better sales will pay for the bulbs in a few weeks.

Promolux was established in Europe for more than twenty years and for fifteen years in North America through its Canadian subsidiary, MGV Inc. Promolux manufactures lamps for many markets, in North America and abroad, so worldwide standards are maintained.

Promolux lamps are multi-coated with rare earth phosphors that are most often found in television picture tubes coating. It is a more expensive coating process than used in making fluorescent lamps. Additional special coatings are used to control UV radiation and to protect the lamps from changing their faithful color reproduction. Additional technical information is available on the Promolux website at http://www.promolux.com.