Monday - August 30, 2010

Shoppers ‘panic buying’ old 75W bulbs as stupid EU ban comes into force

The claim made by the masters in Brussels is that 30 tons of pollution will be avoided over the years. Yeah, right.  Like I care anyway. In fact, I go outta my way to leave a large carbon footprint.  What a joke.  Ppl all over Europe are stockpiling as I did last year on 100watt bulbs.  This time it’s 75 watt that will very soon be phased out by big brother across the channel.  Just shows ya.  Folks don’t want the new energy savers and don’t want to be forced to buy them. But that doesn’t matter. 

Oh well ... time to see if I can still get the 75s.  Might get a case or two of 60s while I’m at it. Can never tell if those will come in handy altho I hardly ever had use for them.  EU jerks say use of energy saver bulb will also save money over time in spite of the cost.  Yeah well, the paltry sum they claim I’ll save is not worth the effort.  £37 a year. Oh woo-freekin-hoo.  I’m not impressed. Or swayed. 

Shoppers across Europe are panic buying the last remaining stocks of old fashioned 75W light bulbs before the traditional household items are banned in the EU next week.

By Leigh Philips, Louise Gray and Andrew Hough

Last year 100W incandescent light bulbs were outlawed, triggering the first wave of stockpiling by worried consumers who do not like the more expensive energy saving alternatives.

Now it will be an offence to import or manufacture 75W bulbs, although shops can continue to sell the model until stocks run out.

The European Lamp Companies Federation said shoppers around Europe are already snapping up the last remaining stocks, with a 35 per cent increase in sales across the EU.

Demand is highest in Germany, Austria, Poland and central Europe.

Although the powerful light is also popular in Britain as a reading lamp or for lighting portraits or chandeliers in historic homes.

Airum, a Finnish producer of bulbs, has reported a doubling of demand for 75W bulbs in the country compared to what is normal for August.

Veronique Skrotsky, a spokeswoman for General Electric Lighting’s French operations, said people do not like the energy saving alternatives.

She said compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which use a fifth of the energy needed for a conventional bulb, give off a sickly light.

“It’s clear that customers find the light they give off ugly, it’s really terrible,” she said.

CFLs have even been blamed for giving people headaches and skin rashes.

Bobby Damney, a spokesman for the Light Bulb Company, a major British wholesaler and retailer, said the company has seen a 10 per cent rise since June.

He said consumers do not like the “horribly shaped” CFLs, which also take longer to turn on and can flicker.

“It has been a chore for some customers trying to replace the bulbs,” he added.

Supermarkets in the UK have already phased out 75W bulbs but independent retailers and wholesalers reported an increase in demand.

Robert Parker, technical adviser to the Historic Houses Association, said people who live in older homes are stock piling old fashioned lamps.

Even halogen lamps, which give off a warmer glow and come in traditional shapes, will not fit into all old fashioned fittings.

“It has been a concern of ours for quite some time particularly in small bayonet candle bulbs that fit into many chandeliers and ancient fittings,” he said. “The energy efficient bulbs that fit into small bayonets are deeply unattractive.”

The panic buying of light bulbs is expected to get worse when 60W bulbs are banned next year and all incandescent bulbs are phased out by 2012.

Incandescent light bulbs are being phased out in order to meet the EU’s ambitious climate change targets to cut greenhouse gases by 20 per cent by 2020.

SOURCE

Posted by peiper     on 08/30/2010 at 01:01 PM   
Filed Under: • Big Brother •  
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