Focus sees rush on sales of incandescent bulbs
Published: 2 September 2009
DIY chain believes sales of the traditional lamps will continue to double this week as customers stockpile in response to EU ban.
Focus DIY has seen a "dramatic increase" in the sale of incandescent bulbs recently, with figures near enough doubling on a weekly basis.
The week commencing August 17, average sales of 60w pearl light bulbs jumped to 4,480 from 2,360 the previous week. The following seven days were even more impressive, with sales more than doubling to reach 10,400.
Focus believes the trend will continue, with sales forecast to reach 20,000 by the end of this week.
Focus category director for decorative Neil Mellors said: "Even though the imminent EU ban on incandescent light bulbs has been known for a while, we have seen a dramatic increase in sales over the last few weeks at Focus.
"Average sales figures... doubled last week and we are predicting that sales will be as high as four times their usual amount this week; this stock-piling reaction is something that we anticipated and all of our stores are well equipped for the surge in business."