Majority of LED bulbs sold in India spurious, non-compliant with govt safety norms, says study

New Delhi: About 76 percent of LED bulbs sold in India are spurious and non-compliant with government’s safety standards, says a report by market research firm Nielsen. The report, based on a survey of 200 retail outlets conducted in four cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad – in July this year, found majority of the LED brands not meeting the norms of BIS and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. [caption id=“attachment_4185451” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI image.[/caption] The survey found that 48 percent of LED (light-emitting diode) bulb brands had no mention of manufacturer’s address and 31 percent brands did not have a manufacturer’s name violating Indian legal metrology regulations. Moreover, on LED downlighters the study found that 45 percent brands did not have manufacturers name and 51 percent brands had no mention of their address. According to the Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers’ Association (ELCOMA), the total LED market in India is valued at around Rs 10,000 crore and LED bulbs and downlighters constitute nearly half of the overall LED market. Commenting on the development, ELCOMA President Rakesh Zutshi said: “It threatens fair competition in the LED lighting market, especially for those companies that are compliant with all mandatory consumer safety standards.” He added that it was unlikely that the manufacturers of these spurious LED bulbs and downlighters would pay any GST to the government. Given the government’s push towards adoption of LEDs and their general consumer popularity, LED lighting will constitute a majority share of the total lighting market in the next few years. “With this scenario, it is important for the government to act against these spurious and non-branded products for safeguarding consumer safety and protecting their revenues against these companies,” Philips Lighting India Vice Chairman and MD Sumit Joshi said.