United Kingdom Outdoor LED Lighting Market Size and Share
United Kingdom Outdoor LED Lighting Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The UK outdoor LED lighting market size stands at USD 0.95 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.34 billion by 2030, reflecting a steady 7.20% CAGR through the forecast period. Growth is propelled by municipal energy-efficiency mandates, rising electricity price volatility, and expanding smart-city infrastructure budgets. Local authorities are replacing legacy high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures with adaptive LED systems that integrate sensors, 5 G radios, and data analytics platforms to cut operating costs and open new revenue streams. The migration toward predictive maintenance models shortens repair cycles and supports public safety objectives, while dark-sky regulations in protected areas advance demand for precision-controlled optics. Taken together, these factors position the UK outdoor LED lighting market as a pivotal testbed for smart-infrastructure solutions that combine illumination, connectivity, and environmental stewardship.[1]Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, “Clean Power 2030 Action Plan,” gov.uk
Key Report Takeaways
- By product type, luminaires captured 72.5% of the UK's outdoor LED lighting market share in 2024, and retrofit-oriented LED lamps are projected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR by 2030.
- By installation type, new builds represented 46.6% of 2024 installations of the UK outdoor LED lighting market, while the retrofit segment is forecast to expand at a 7.0% CAGR through 2030.
- By application, street and roadway projects accounted for a 43.8% share of the UK outdoor LED lighting market in 2024, while sports and stadium lighting are projected to advance at a 6.3% CAGR through 2030.
- By distribution channel, direct sales accounted for 64.7% of the UK outdoor LED lighting market size in 2024, with e-commerce expected to rise at a 4.5% CAGR in 2030.
United Kingdom Outdoor LED Lighting Market Trends and Insights
Drivers Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growing adoption of smart city initiatives | +2.1% | National, with early gains in London, Manchester, Birmingham | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Accelerated phase-out of conventional street lighting in UK councils | +1.8% | National, concentrated in metropolitan areas | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Rising energy-price volatility driving TCO optimization | +1.5% | National, highest impact in Scotland and Northern England | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Mandates on dark-sky compliance in national parks | +0.9% | Regional, focused on protected areas and heritage sites | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Expansion of 5G small-cell infrastructure using lighting poles | +0.7% | Urban centers, with spillover to suburban areas | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Government decarbonization funding and building efficiency mandates | +0.6% | National, prioritizing public sector buildings | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Growing Adoption of Smart-City Initiatives
Municipal authorities increasingly view connected luminaires as foundational assets for data-driven urban management. Manchester’s CityVerve pilot demonstrated that adaptive streetlights can support air-quality sensing, traffic optimization, and public Wi-Fi on a single pole. Smart-ready fixtures help councils monetize pole real estate through 5 G small-cell leasing agreements and lower their carbon footprints under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. As a result, procurement strategies now prioritize open-protocol lighting controls and edge analytics capabilities that future-proof investments and accelerate the transformation of the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Accelerated Phase-Out of Conventional Street Lighting
The September 2023 ban on most fluorescent and HID lamps created an urgent replacement cycle that favors LED technology. Councils in Milton Keynes and Leeds secured energy-performance contracts with Signify to retrofit more than 75,000 street points, bundling fixture purchases with long-term maintenance guarantees. This regulatory push eliminates life-extension options for legacy lamps, making LED conversion a non-discretionary capital priority. In parallel, supply-chain partners have optimized modular luminaire designs that reduce installation times by 35%, easing labor-cost pressures on resource-constrained local authorities.
Rising Energy-Price Volatility
Wholesale electricity prices have doubled since 2022, driving facility operators to prioritize total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) metrics. LED retrofits deliver up to 65% energy savings compared to sodium-vapor lamps and unlock additional value by participating in demand-response programs that generate supplemental revenue streams.[2]London Stadium, “LED Lighting Investment Press Release,” london-stadium.com Venue operators such as London Stadium invested USD 1.05 million in adaptive floodlights, citing payback periods of under four years even at conservative energy-price forecasts. This economics-first mindset underpins continued expansion of the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Mandates on Dark-Sky Compliance
National parks in the Peak District and Northumberland enforce stringent light-pollution rules that permit only fixtures with <1% uplight and correlated color temperature (CCT) of ≤3,000 K. LED manufacturers responded with optics engineered for narrow beam cut-offs and tunable-white drivers that shift CCT based on wildlife activity patterns. Compliance requirements push specifiers toward premium luminaires with advanced photometric performance, strengthening margins for top-tier suppliers and differentiating offerings within the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Restraints Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| High upfront capex vs. austerity-impacted municipal budgets | -1.4% | National, most severe in smaller councils | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Supply-chain exposure to rare-earth phosphors | -0.8% | National, affecting premium product segments | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Planning-permission delays for heritage areas | -0.6% | Regional, concentrated in historic city centers | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Rising e-waste compliance costs | -0.4% | National, increasing burden on all market participants | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
High Upfront Capex vs. Austerity-Impacted Municipal Budgets
Despite favorable life-cycle economics, LED retrofits require capital outlays that compete with essential services. Smaller councils often lack in-house energy-management teams, limiting their ability to structure energy-performance contracts that convert capex into opex. The USD 704 million Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund covers only a fraction of identified lighting projects, forcing prioritization of critical safety corridors over comprehensive network upgrades. This funding gap slows deployment rates, tempering expansion of the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Supply-Chain Exposure to Rare-Earth Phosphors
High-quality white LEDs depend on europium and terbium phosphors, 85% of which are refined in China.[3]U.S. Geological Survey, “Rare-Earth Elements Supply Chain Report,” usgs.gov Disruptions in 2024 caused quality failures such as purple streetlights, forcing warranty replacements across several UK boroughs. Manufacturers are investing in alternative quantum-dot technologies, but commercialization remains two years away, maintaining supply risk and cost volatility for premium luminaires within the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Segment Analysis
By Product Type: Luminaires Drive Integration Premium
Luminaires accounted for 72.5% of UK outdoor LED lighting market share in 2024, reflecting councils’ preference for factory-sealed fixtures that embed drivers, sensors, and wireless nodes. This segment benefits from 5 G pole-top integration opportunities and commands higher margins. Retrofit-oriented LED lamps are growing at a 5.5% CAGR yet remain constrained by thermal-dissipation limits that reduce expected service life. The UK outdoor LED lighting market size for luminaires is projected to reach USD 0.96 billion by 2030.
Integrated luminaires also facilitate compliance with WEEE rules because modular light engines can be replaced without discarding housings, reducing e-waste liabilities. Conversely, lamp replacements fit legacy fixtures but often lack intelligent controls, limiting their role in smart-city programs. This performance gap drives specification engineers to favor full luminaire swaps in large municipal tenders.
By Application: Sports Lighting Commands Performance Premium
Street and roadway projects dominated with 43.8% share in 2024, yet sports-venue lighting is the fastest-growing niche at 6.3% CAGR owing to broadcast-grade visibility requirements. Lord’s Cricket Ground deployed cricket-specific LEDs that improve uniformity by 25% and cut glare for athletes and spectators. The UK outdoor LED lighting market size for sports venues is expected to surpass USD 90 million by 2030.
Tunnel and bridge lighting demand vandal-resistant enclosures and extended service intervals, supporting premium pricing. Architectural façade projects leverage dynamic RGB-white capabilities to boost tourism and civic branding, further diversifying revenue streams for luminaire makers.
By Installation Type: Retrofit Accelerates Despite Challenges
Retrofit projects represented 46.6% of 2024 installations yet are forecast to outpace new-build deployments through 2030 at a 7.0% CAGR. Energy-performance contracting models allow councils to self-fund upgrades from guaranteed savings, accelerating adoption even under budget constraints. The UK outdoor LED lighting market size associated with retrofit solutions is set to exceed USD 0.70 billion by 2030.
Heritage districts in Bath and York impose aesthetic restrictions that limit fixture choices, pushing suppliers to develop custom tooling that mimics Victorian lantern styles while meeting photometric standards. Extended planning timelines can delay project starts by up to nine months, but completed installations yield 60% energy reductions and 40% maintenance savings, validating the retrofit business case.
By Distribution Channel: E-Commerce Disrupts Traditional Models
Direct OEM sales captured 64.7% of 2024 revenue because large projects require bespoke photometry and financing support. Nevertheless, online platforms are growing at 4.9% CAGR as facility managers procure standardized bollard and floodlight models in smaller lots.
E-commerce portals featuring photometric calculators and fast shipping broaden market access for mid-tier brands. Wholesalers retain relevance for electrical-contractor segments that value local stock and credit terms, underscoring a hybrid go-to-market landscape across the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
Geography Analysis
England’s metropolitan corridors account for more than 55% of national demand, led by London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s 2024 tender covering 23,000 luminaires. Scotland experiences stronger ROI because average commercial electricity tariffs are 9% above the national mean, accelerating payback timelines. Wales and Northern Ireland lag in adoption but present opportunities for solar-powered LED kits that reduce trenching costs on rural roads.
Regional planning rules shape product specifications. London mandates Central Management Systems (CMS) on all new streetlights, whereas Northumberland prioritizes dark-sky compliance, leading to warmer color temperatures and full cut-off optics. Councils in coastal regions such as Cornwall increasingly specify marine-grade powder coatings to resist salt spray, boosting demand for premium finishes within the UK outdoor LED lighting market.
The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan allocates USD 185 million to community energy projects, including combined solar-LED street corridors in West Midlands towns. Meanwhile, heritage locales in York require mock gas-lamp housings paired with dim-to-warm drivers, demonstrating the breadth of niche design requirements nationwide.
Competitive Landscape
The UK outdoor LED lighting market exhibits moderate concentration. Signify, Zumtobel, and TRILUX collectively hold an estimated 52% share, leveraging vertically integrated production and turnkey project services. TRILUX’s 2024 acquisition of Ansorg bolsters retail-lighting expertise and expands its UK footprint.[4]TRILUX Group, “TRILUX Acquires Ansorg,” ansorg.com Signify advances Interact IoT software bundles that monitor energy use and equipment health, differentiating through analytics.
Mid-sized challengers focus on specialty applications. M3 Innovation targets sports facilities, offering cricket-specific optics and spectral tuning. Start-ups exploit e-commerce to sell retrofit lamps direct to contractors, but high warranty obligations limit their scalability. Supply-chain resilience is becoming a key differentiator amid rare-earth material volatility, prompting larger players to invest in phosphor-recycling lines at UK assembly plants.
Strategic partnerships between lighting vendors and telecom operators are emerging as poles are repurposed for 5 G small-cell nodes. This convergence blurs competitive boundaries and favors firms with data-network expertise. Ongoing market consolidation is expected as scale economics amplify under stringent WEEE and RoHS compliance costs.
United Kingdom Outdoor LED Lighting Industry Leaders
-
Signify N.V.
-
Zumtobel Group AG
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Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc.
-
ams-OSRAM AG
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Hubbell Incorporated
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Recent Industry Developments
- March 2025: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched consultation on mercury-lamp exemptions under UK RoHS regulations.
- January 2025: LEDVANCE completed acquisition of loblicht to enhance professional luminaire portfolio.
- December 2024: Siemens announced USD 10.6 billion acquisition of Altair Engineering, bringing LED specialist Toggled into its portfolio.
- November 2024: TRILUX Group acquired Ansorg to strengthen retail-lighting segment reach.
United Kingdom Outdoor LED Lighting Market Report Scope
Public Places, Streets and Roadways, Others are covered as segments by Outdoor Lighting.| Lamps |
| Luminaires/Fixtures |
| Street and Roadway Lighting |
| Architectural and Landscape |
| Sports and Stadium |
| Tunnel and Bridge |
| Parking and Transit Areas |
| Other Applications |
| New Installation |
| Retrofit Installation |
| Direct Sales |
| Wholesale |
| Retail |
| E-commerce |
| By Product Type | Lamps |
| Luminaires/Fixtures | |
| By Application | Street and Roadway Lighting |
| Architectural and Landscape | |
| Sports and Stadium | |
| Tunnel and Bridge | |
| Parking and Transit Areas | |
| Other Applications | |
| By Installation type | New Installation |
| Retrofit Installation | |
| By Distribution Channel | Direct Sales |
| Wholesale | |
| Retail | |
| E-commerce |
Market Definition
- INDOOR LIGHTING - It incorporates all LED based lamps and fixtures/luminaire that are used to illuminate indoor section of residential, commercial, industrial buildings and agricultural lighting. LED offers efficient brightness with higher durability in comparison to other lighting technology.
- OUTDOOR LIGHTING - It incorporates the LED lighting fixtures that is used for illumination for exterior/outdoor illumination. For instance, LED lighting fixtures used to illuminate streets and highways, transport hubs, stadiums and other public places such as parking spaces.
- AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING - It refers to the lighting fixtures installed for illumination and signaling purposes. It is used in both exterior and interior lighting of the vehicle. Headlamps, fog lamp, daytime running light (DRLs) are examples of exterior light whereas cabin light are interior lights.
- END USER - It refers to the end use application area where the LED fixture will be installed. For instance, in terms of indoor lighting, we have residential, commercial and industrial as end user category. For automotive lighting, primary end user considered are automotive manufacturers and aftermarket sale
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lumen | Lumen is a unit of luminous flux in the International System of Units that is equal to the amount of light given out through a solid angle by a source of one-candela intensity radiating equally in all directions. |
| Footcandle | A foot-candle (or foot-candle, fc, lm/ft2, or ft-c) is a measurement of light intensity. One foot-candle is defined as enough light to saturate a one-foot square with one lumen of light. |
| Colour Rendering Index (CRI) | Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measurement of how natural colors render under an artificial white light source when compared with sunlight. The index is measured from 0-100, with a perfect 100 indicating that colors of objects under the light source appear the same as they would under natural sunlight. |
| Luminous flux | Luminous flux is a measure of the power of visible light produced by a light source or light fitting. It is measured in lumens (lm). |
| Annual Energy Cost | Annual Energy Cost means the average daily energy consumption multiplied by 365 (days per year), expressed in kilowatt hour per year (kWh/a). |
| Constant voltage drivers | Constant voltage drivers are designed for a single direct current (DC) output voltage. Most common constant voltage drivers (or Power Supplies) are 12VDC or 24VDC. An LED light that is rated for constant voltage usually specifies the amount of input voltage it needs to operate correctly. |
| Constant Current Driver | Constant current LED drivers are designed for a designated range of output voltages and a fixed output current (mA). LEDs that are rated to operate on a constant current driver require a designated supply of current usually specified in milliamps (mA) or amps (A). These drivers vary the voltage along an electronic circuit which allows current to remain constant throughout the LED system. |
| Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) | Minimum Energy Performance Standards specify the minimum level of energy performance that appliances and equipment must meet or exceed before they can supply or used for commercial purposes. |
| Luminous Efficacy | Luminous efficacy is a measurement commonly used in the lighting industry that indicates the ability of a light source to emit visible light using a given amount of power. |
| Solid State Lighting | Solid-state lighting (SSL) is a type of lighting that uses semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma (used in arc lamps such as fluorescent lamps), or gas. |
| Rated Lamp Life | Lamp life, also referred to as rated life, is the time in hours a lamp will last before a percentage of lamps will burn out. |
| Color Temperature | Colour temperature is a scale that measures how ‘warm’ (yellow) or ‘cool’ (blue) the light from a particular source is. It is measured in degrees of the Kelvin scale (abbreviated to K), and the higher the number, the ‘cooler’ the light. The lower the ‘K’ number, the ‘warmer’ the light. |
| Ingress Protection rating (IP rating) | The IP (Ingress Protection) rating of a bulb or light fixture declares the level of protection it has against dirt and water. |
| Fidelity Index | The general colour fidelity index, Rf, represents how closely the colour appearances of the entire sample set are reproduced (rendered) on average by a test light as compared to those under a reference illuminant. |
| Gamut Index | The gamut area is defined as “the area enclosed by a set of test color samples illuminated by a light source, in a two-dimensional chromaticity diagram or a plane of color space.”1 Within a defined color space, a “gamut” describes the subset of colors that can be perceived under specific lighting conditions. |
| Binning | In the lighting industry, the act of "binning" of LEDs is the process of sorting LEDs by certain characteristics, such as color, voltage, and brightness. |
| Accent lighting | Accent lighting, also called highlighting, emphasizes objects by focusing light directly on them. Accent lighting is used inside and outside the home to feature locations such as an entrance or to create dramatic effects. |
| Dimmable driver | A dimming driver has two functions: As a driver, it converts the 230V AC mains input to a low voltage DC output. As a dimmer, it reduces the amount of electrical energy flowing to the LEDs, thereby causing them to dim. |
| Flicker | Flicker is the repeated and frequent variation in the output of a light source over time. |
| Fluorescent | A property of materials defined as the ability to emit light after absorbing electromagnetic radiation such as visible or UV light. |
| Candela | The candela is the unit of luminous intensity in the International System of Units. It measures the light output per unit solid angle emitted from a light source in a specific direction. |
| LUX | Lux is used to measure the amount of light output in a given area - one lux is equal to one lumen per square meter. It enables us to measure the total "amount" of visible light present and the intensity of the illumination on a surface. |
| Uniformity (U0) | The uniformity of lighting has significant effects on visual performance in both indoor and outdoor areas. Uniformity (represented as U0) value can be found by dividing the minimum brightness (Emin) resulting from calculations according to the current lighting order, to the average brightness value (Eavg). |
| Visible Light Spectrum | The visible light spectrum is the segment of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can view. More simply, this range of wavelengths is called visible light. Typically, the human eye can detect wavelengths from 380 to 700 nanometers. |
| Ambient Temperature | Ambient Temperature is the temperature of the air surrounding an electrical enclosure. |
| Current-controlled dimming control | Current-controlled dimming controls LED brightness by varying the applied current using a 0-10V dimmer. Current-controlled dimming is smooth and HD-video friendly. It can only dim to a minimum of 5% of light output. |
| Design Light Consortium | It is a partnership of energy efficiency stakeholders in the United States and Canada to “promote quality, performance and energy efficient lighting solutions for the commercial sector”. |
| Pulse Width Modulation | Pulse-width modulation, or pulse-duration modulation, is a method of controlling the average power delivered by an electrical signal. |
| Surface Mounted Device | A surface mount device (SMD) is an electronic device whose components are mounted or placed directly on the surface of a printed circuit board. |
| Alternating Current | Alternating current is an electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time, in contrast to direct current, which flows only in one direction. |
| Direct Current | Direct current (DC) is an electric current that is uni-directional, so the flow of charge is always in the same direction. |
| Beam Angle | Beam angle (also called beam spread) is a measure of how light is distributed. On any plane perpendicular to the centerline of the light, the beam angle is the angle between two rays where the light intensity is 50% of the maximum light intensity. |
| LED Based Solar High Mast Lighting Systems | A Solar LED High Mast Light is a raised source of High illumination lights (6~8 lights) and with high intensity on the middle of major junctions (Ring roads, Outer Ring roads), turned on or lit automatically in the absence of light (at specified timings or at periodic times, every night). |
| Surface Mounted Diode (SMD) LEDs | A surface mount diode is a type that emits light and is flat mounted and soldered onto a circuit board. |
| Chip on Board (COB) LEDs | A COB LED is basically multiple LED chips (usually 9 or more) glued directly onto a substrate by the manufacturer to form a single module. |
| Dual In-Line Package (DIP) LEDs | A dual in-line package (DIP or DIL) is an electronic component package with a rectangular case and two parallel rows of electrical connector pins. |
| Graphene LED Lights | A graphene LED light bulb is simply an LED light bulb where the filament has been coated in graphene. A graphene LED bulb is reported to be 10% more efficient than regular LED light bulbs and they are cheaper to manufacture and buy. |
| LED Corn Bulbs | LED Corn lights are designed as an energy efficient alternative to high intensity discharge (HID) and SON lamps. It uses a large number of LEDs on a metal structure to provide sufficient light. This arrangement of LEDs looks a lot like a corn cob, hence the name "corn light". |
| Per Capita Income | Per capita income or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita income is national income divided by population size. |
| Charging Stations | A charging station, also known as a charging station or electric vehicle utility, is a power supply that provides electrical energy for charging plug-in electric vehicles. |
| Headlight | A headlight is a light that is mounted on the front of a car and illuminates the road in front of it. Low beam and high beam LED headlights are additional categories for these LED headlights. |
| Day Time Running Light (DRLs) | A daytime running lamp is a white, yellow, or amber lighting device mounted on the front of a road-going motor vehicle or bicycle. |
| Directional Signal Light | Directional signal lights are the front and rear lights on an automobile that flash to show the direction of a turn. |
| Stop Light | A red light that is mounted to the back of a car and turns on when the brakes are used to show that the car is stopped. |
| Reverse Light | The reverse light is at the back of the vehicle to indicate its backward motion. |
| Tail Light | A red light that can be seen in the dark is mounted on the rear of a road vehicle. Stop, reverse, and directional signal lights are all part of it. |
| Fog Light | Bright lights in automobiles used to increase visibility on the road in foggy conditions or to warn other drivers of the presence of the vehicle. |
| Passenger Vehicle | A passenger vehicle is a road vehicle, other than a moped or a motorcycle, intended for the transportation of people and designed for up to 8 to 9 seats. |
| Commercial Vehicle | A commercial vehicle (Bus, Truck, Van) is any type of motor vehicle used to transport goods or pay passengers. |
| Two Wheelers (2W) | A two-wheeler is a vehicle that runs on two wheels. |
| Streets & Roadways | Both roads and streets refer to hard, flat surfaces on the ground on which vehicles, people, and animals can travel. Since streetways are usually in cities and towns, they often have houses and buildings on both sides. The roadway is in the countryside and sometimes passes through forests and fields |
| Horticulture Lighting | Horticulture is the science and art of sustainably growing, producing, marketing and using high quality, intensively cultivated food and ornamental plants. |
Research Methodology
Mordor Intelligence has followed the following methodology in all our data center reports.
- Step 1: Raw Data Collection: To understand the market, initially, all crtical data points were identified. Critical information about countries and regions of interest including Per-capita Income, Population, Automotive Production, Interest rate on Auto-Loans, Number of Automobiles on Road, Total LED Import, Lighting Electricity Consumption among others were recorded or estimated based on internal calculations.
- Step 2: Identify Key Variables: To build a robust forecasting model, key variables such as Number of Households, Automotive Production, Road Networks among others were identified. Through an iterative process, the variables required for the market forecast were set, and the model was built using these variables.
- Step 3: Build a Market Model: Based on data and critical industry trend data (variables), including LED pricing, LED penetration rate, and project macro and micor economic factors were utilized for building the market forecasting.
- Step 4: Validate and Finalize: In this crucial step, all market numbers and variables derived through an internal mathematical model were validated through an extensive network of primary research experts from all the markets studied. The respondents are selected across levels and functions to generate a holistic picture of the market studied.
- Step 5: Research Outputs: Syndicated Reports, Custom Consulting Assignments, Databases & Subscription Platforms