Emergency lighting in retail. For every branch.
Customers don't know your store as well as your team – yet in an emergency they must find the exit in seconds. We design emergency lighting and exit signs that stay visible between shelves, promotion areas and advertising, and manage all branches in one app.
Large stores are special buildings in most European countries. In Germany, stores whose sales areas and malls exceed 2,000 m² fall under the model regulation for retail premises (MVKVO) and generally need safety lighting, often with a 3-hour duration and maintained exit signs. Smaller shops follow workplace rules, the risk assessment and the building permit; escape routes and emergency exits must be marked there too.
What applies?
- Safety lighting for sales areas, malls, checkout zones and exits
- Exit signs to ISO 7010 with enough viewing distance for long aisles – often maintained
- Open-area (anti-panic) lighting for large sales floors to EN 1838 (0.5 lx)
- Include storage, staff rooms, deliveries and plant rooms
- Rated duration per special building rules, building permit and fire safety concept
- Testing and documentation per site – plus recurring third-party inspections for special buildings
This describes typical requirements, using Germany as the reference. What applies to your building depends on the building permit, fire safety concept, risk assessment and national or regional rules – exactly what we check during the free on-site survey.
Common mistakes
Shelves, displays, decorations and promotional goods cover exit signs and luminaires.
Storage and staff areas behind the sales floor are missing from the design.
New shelf layouts or seasonal areas change the routes – the emergency lighting stays where it was.
How we make it easy
We survey the building, escape routes and existing system and create a standard-compliant emergency lighting design – free and non-binding.
Exit sign, escape route and recessed luminaires plus emergency drivers – with self-test and LiFePO4 battery.
Every test documented digitally, deadlines monitored automatically – ready to show at any inspection.
Annual on-site inspection, all batteries replaced in year 5–6 and repairs – predictable costs instead of surprises.
Matching products
3DExit sign luminaire
Discreet LED exit sign luminaire for ceiling, wall, side or pendant mounting – up to 30 m viewing distance.
Emergency drivers
Self-contained emergency drivers with battery and self-test – for existing LED luminaires and LED high-bays up to 300 W.
3DEscape route luminaire
Surface-mounted luminaire for escape routes, light output adjustable to 90° or 180°.
Frequently asked questions
Does every shop need emergency lighting?
Not every shop needs safety lighting. For smaller shops, the risk assessment and building permit decide. Escape routes and emergency exits generally have to be marked, though – and large stores fall under special building rules.
When is a shop a special building?
In Germany, when sales areas and malls together exceed 2,000 m². Other countries have similar thresholds; details vary.
How long must emergency lighting last in a supermarket?
Large stores often require three hours. The binding requirement is in the applicable regulations, the building permit and the fire safety concept.
Can the existing shop lighting serve as emergency lighting?
Often yes: with an emergency driver, suitable LED luminaires and trunking systems can be made emergency-capable. We check during the on-site survey whether luminaire, driver and calculation match.
Do you look after branch networks?
Yes. We design and maintain consistently across all sites in Germany and Europe. The app shows status and logbooks of all branches at a glance.
Related knowledge
Emergency Lighting by Sector: From Offices to Car Parks
What emergency lighting do offices, retail, hotels, schools, healthcare, industry, car parks and assembly venues need? Requirements, specifics, common mistakes.
Read articleAnti-Panic Lighting to EN 1838: Requirements and Design Guide
Anti-panic (open area) lighting to EN 1838: 0.5 lx on the core area excluding a 0.5 m border, 40:1 uniformity, where it is needed, design tips and luminaires.
Read articleExit Sign Viewing Distance: Size, Placement and ISO 7010
How large must an exit sign be? Calculate viewing distance per EN 1838, place ISO 7010 signs correctly and replace outdated pictograms – with worked examples.
Read articleOther building types
Your contacts
Emergency lighting without worries.
Luminaires, installation and maintenance from a single source – every inspection documented digitally in our app. We start with a free on-site survey and standard-compliant design.