Soon IKEA Will Only Sell LED Light Bulbs

IKEA has announced that, as of September 1, the only bulbs it will sell in its lighting department will be LED — not incandescent or compact fluorescent — in an effort to improve sustainability.

While LED bulbs have typically been associated with higher prices, this could ultimately mean good things for shoppers who want lower electricity bills.

Energy Savings for Consumers

Originally when IKEA decided to prioritize sustainability, the company planned to switch from incandescent bulbs to CFLs. However, according to CNBC, customers were displeased with the quality of light from CFLs.

LEDs are generally more expensive than both incandescent and CFL, but we've seen prices on LEDs drop significantly in recent years. Plus, LEDs will last five times as long as a CFL bulb — up to 50,000 hours vs. only 10,000 — which increases the value.

Additionally, using LEDs compared to incandescent can help you save up to 80% in energy costs for lighting per year. For a full comparison of CFL vs. LED vs. incandescent bulbs, check out our guide.

This announcement continues the trend of big brands investing in green business strategies. Recently, Walmart, Apple, and several other major retailers pledged to "reduce their emissions, increase low-carbon investments, deploy more clean energy, and take other actions to build more sustainable businesses and tackle climate change."

Readers, what do you think of this news? Do you applaud IKEA for the switch, or would you rather have more options for lighting? Sound off in the comments below.