US$37.7 billion | Lighting Industry Export Flash Report for the First Three Quarters

I. In the first three quarters, China’s lighting product exports totaled approximately US$37.7 billion

According to the latest import and export data released by the General Administration of Customs, from January to September 2026, China’s total lighting product exports amounted to about US$37.7 billion, down roughly 0.7% year-on-year, accounting for 1.7% of the country’s total electromechanical product exports. Looking at monthly trends, the period from January to March saw significant fluctuations due to the shift in the Lunar New Year timing and adjustments in overseas demand patterns; in the second quarter, the month-on-month decline in export value continued to narrow, with June essentially matching the level of the same period last year. Entering the third quarter, monthly export values posted year-on-year growth, with the pace gradually accelerating. In September alone, exports reached approximately US$4.6 billion, up 26% compared with the same month last year. (This article provides a brief overview of the lighting industry’s export performance for the first three quarters of 2026; more detailed analysis will be published in the China Lighting Association’s journal, “China Lighting,” 2026.)

II. Exports of electric light sources and luminaires both declined by 2% year-on-year

• From January to September, total exports of electric light source products reached approximately US$4.1 billion, down about 2% year-on-year. Luminaire exports totaled around US$27.9 billion, also down roughly 2%. Specifically, fixed luminaires and portable luminaires saw year-on-year declines of 12% and 17%, respectively.
  

• In terms of export volume, China shipped approximately 21.4 billion electric light source units, up 18% year-on-year. LED bulb, LED tube, and LED module shipments increased by 2%, 5%, and 49%, respectively, while LED fixed luminaires, LED portable luminaires, and other non‑photovoltaic lighting devices designed exclusively for LED light sources grew by 10%, 8%, and 5%, respectively.

• The average export price of select products—such as LED bulbs, Christmas tree lights designed solely for LED light sources, other Christmas tree lighting strings, and certain non‑photovoltaic lighting devices using only LEDs—rose by more than 11% compared with the first quarter of this year.

• Meanwhile, exports of photovoltaic lighting devices and Christmas tree lights designed exclusively for LED light sources continued to grow, achieving increases across export value, volume, and average unit price.

III. Exports to non‑export markets rose 11% year-on-year, while exports to the U.S. fell 5%

• In the first three quarters, China’s lighting product exports to Africa totaled approximately US$2.8 billion, up 11% year-on-year, accounting for about 8% of China’s total lighting exports—a rise of 1 percentage point compared with the same period last year. Exports to Egypt, Tanzania, Morocco, Algeria, and other African markets all recorded year-on-year growth exceeding 10%.

• Exports to Europe totaled approximately US$10.1 billion, up 1% year-on-year. Major markets such as Germany, Russia, France, Poland, Spain, and Sweden maintained growth, with year-on-year increases exceeding 4%.
  

• From January to September, exports to the United States reached approximately US$7.2 billion, down 5% year-on-year, narrowing the gap by 4 percentage points compared with the previous eight months. In September alone, exports to the U.S. totaled about US$1 billion, up 35% year-on-year. Over the first three quarters, China’s exports of electric light sources to the U.S. stood at approximately US$900 million, slightly up 3% year-on-year—driven by higher unit prices for traditional light sources like incandescent and fluorescent lamps—while luminaire exports fell by about 8%.

IV. Guangdong and Zhejiang saw year-on-year export growth of 7% and 11%, respectively

During the first three quarters, Guangdong Province’s lighting product exports reached approximately US$14.2 billion, up 7% year-on-year, accounting for about 38% of China’s total lighting exports and ranking first nationwide. Zhejiang Province’s lighting product exports totaled approximately US$10.6 billion, up 11% year-on-year, representing about 28% of the national total and placing it second nationally. Other regions such as Jiangsu and Shanghai reported year-on-year growth exceeding 9%, while Xinjiang and Shandong experienced year-on-year declines of over 4%.

Source: China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association