Down 3%! China’s lighting product export data for the first eight months has been released.

According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in the first eight months of 2026, China’s total lighting product exports amounted to approximately US$33.2 billion, down about 3% year-on-year; this accounted for 1.8% of total electromechanical product exports, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared with the same period last year. Since the second half of the year, monthly export values have been gradually declining. In August, exports totaled roughly US$4.5 billion, a 3% drop from July. Overall, the industry’s export performance remains on a downward trajectory. (This article provides a brief overview of the lighting industry’s export situation through August 2026; more detailed analysis will be published in the China Lighting Association’s 2026 issue of “China Lighting.”)

I. LED Module Exports Up 53% YoY

In the first eight months, the trend of rising export volumes but falling average prices for electric light sources remained unchanged. Taking LED modules—accounting for nearly 50% of electric light source exports—as an example, their export volume increased by 53% year-on-year, while the average export price declined by 25%. The same pattern holds true for LED Light Bulbs and LED Tubes: total export volumes grew by 1% and 4%, respectively, while average export prices fell by 8% and 13%, respectively.

Traditional general-purpose lighting products such as Incandescent Lamps and Fluorescent Lamps showed a contrasting trend—rising prices but falling volumes—with average export prices up by over 5% and export volumes down by more than 14%.

In terms of export value, electric light source exports reached approximately US$3.6 billion from January to August, down about 4% year-on-year. By category, LED electric light source exports decreased by 4%, while traditional products like Incandescent Lamps, Fluorescent Lamps, and Tungsten Halogen Lamps saw declines ranging from 2% to 20%.

II. Photovoltaic Lighting Products Maintain Growth Momentum

In the first eight months, luminaire exports totaled approximately US$24.5 billion, down about 5% year-on-year; this represented 74% of total lighting exports, a decline of 1 percentage point compared with the same period last year. Notably, certain photovoltaic lighting products—designed exclusively to use Light-emitting Diodes (LEDs)—continued to grow, achieving increases in both export value and average export price. Regarding export destinations, North America and Africa expanded imports of these products, with export values rising by 22% and 14%, respectively. Cumulative exports now account for roughly 51% of the total for this product category, up 6 percentage points from the same period last year. In terms of average export prices, shipments to African markets such as Nigeria and Kenya posted year-on-year growth exceeding 20%—more than twice the average export price of similar products in European and American markets. This highlights that Africa is no longer merely a low-cost, high-volume market—it has developed distinct demand segments characterized by higher value and unit prices.

Meanwhile, exports of major luminaire categories—including fixed fixtures and portable lamps—declined by more than 14%; average export prices fell by over 17%.

III. Rapid Growth in Lighting Exports to Africa

In the first eight months, exports to Africa totaled approximately US$2.5 billion, up 9% year-on-year; this accounted for about 8% of China’s total lighting exports, an increase of 1 percentage point compared with the same period last year. Electric light source exports reached around US$300 million, up about 4% year-on-year, while luminaire exports stood at approximately US$1.7 billion, up about 11% year-on-year. Egypt, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and other markets maintained growth rates above 9%. This expansion is driven primarily by infrastructure development, improved access to electricity, and growing demand for integrating photovoltaic energy storage with lighting solutions. As China–Africa cooperation deepens, Africa’s potential remains immense, making it a key growth market for Chinese lighting exports, with photovoltaic products continuing to serve as the main growth engine.

IV. European Market Remains Stable Overall

In the first eight months, exports to Europe totaled approximately US$8.9 billion, essentially unchanged from the same period last year; this represented about 27% of China’s total lighting exports, up 1 percentage point compared with the previous year. Electric light source exports reached roughly US$800 million, down slightly by 2% year-on-year, while luminaire exports stood at approximately US$7.1 billion, down about 3%. Influenced by factors such as energy restructuring in European countries, the European market has become increasingly diversified. Exports to the UK and the Netherlands declined by more than 10%; Germany remained largely stable; while Russia, Spain, Poland, Sweden, and other markets continued to see growth rates above 4%.

V. U.S. Electric Light Source Exports Grow

From January to August, exports to the United States totaled approximately US$6.2 billion, down 9% year-on-year; this accounted for 19% of China’s total lighting exports, a decrease of 1 percentage point compared with the same period last year. Electric light source exports reached about US$800 million, up marginally by 0.4% year-on-year—driven by higher unit prices for traditional products such as Incandescent Lamps and Fluorescent Lamps—while luminaire exports stood at approximately US$4.3 billion, down about 13% year-on-year.

To help enterprises expand overseas markets and unlock domestic market potential, the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association will continue to provide comprehensive services in 2026. These include organizing corporate participation in international trade shows such as the China (Guzhen) International Lighting Expo, the Shanghai International Architectural and Engineering Lighting Exhibition, and the Uzbekistan Smart Building Expo, as well as establishing platforms for industry exchange and collaboration—such as the China Lighting Industry Conference, the China Road Lighting Forum, and the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Industry Standards and Quality Conference—to actively promote the development of a dual-circulation growth model, both domestically and internationally. Companies interested in these activities are encouraged to contact the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association.

The article is sourced from the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association, authored by the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association.