 The Carrefour hypermarket in Lille, France has installed 2.5 kilometres of energy-efficient Philips LED lighting, which employs light to transmit a location signal to shoppers’ smartphones, triggering an app to provide location-based services.
The system allows Carrefour to provide new services, such as helping shoppers find promotions across the 7,800 square metre shop floor, while Philips states the LED lighting will reduce the hypermarket’s total lighting-based electricity consumption by 50%. In addition to the LED fixtures, the system consists of a cloud-based location database and a Philips software development kit upon which the mobile interaction platform can be built. The Carrefour hypermarket system comprises 800 linear LED fixtures, employing Philips’ VLC (Visible Light Communication) technology to transmit a unique code through light detected with a smartphone camera. Philips software and cloud-based location database has been integrated into Carrefour’s mobile app. “Our connected lighting system has the potential to transform shopping into a more interactive and personalised experience,” commented Gerben van der Lugt, Philips Lighting head of LED-based indoor positioning. “At the same time, it will enable retailers to differentiate themselves, enhance customer loyalty and provide new services to shoppers.” |
