Put this year's lighting policy changes together and two clear threads emerge: the expansion of energy labelling and tighter online-sales supervision.
On labelling, road and tunnel LED luminaires have been subject to label rules since June; on online sales, general and explosion-proof luminaires are on the key products list, with enforcement from December 1. Both threads point the same way: the compliance bar for lighting products is rising systematically, from production through to sales channels.
For Chinese lighting exporters this is both cost and opportunity. The cost: more certifications to complete, labels to maintain and documentation to organise. The opportunity: higher compliance thresholds will keep non-compliant small suppliers out of channels, concentrating purchase orders among factories with complete credentials. The industry reshuffle usually happens precisely in the year the bar goes up.
Source: NDRC, SAMR, Alighting (ndrc.gov.cn, samr.gov.cn, alighting.com)