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Representatives of Neon Creations delivered a ten-minute presentation to House of Commons and House of Lords representatives on the misuse of the term 'neon sign'
A formal meeting took place last week with a cross-party parliamentary group on the legal protection of neon sign-making.
Catherine and Tony Spink of Neon Creations were invited by the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Craft to Portcullis House in London where they delivered a ten-minute presentation on preventing the misuse of the term 'neon sign' and other derivatives by companies that are selling LED alternatives and labelling them as neon.
The meeting reportedly included representatives from the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
According to Spink, who spoke about the meeting on LinkedIn: “Everyone agreed that something needs to be done.
“Whether this be through legislation or a certification mark, changes will be happening one way or another as this misleading marketing has been going on for far too long. We were really pleased with the feedback we received on our presentation, so watch this space.”
Within the past decade, the amount of LED signs and lights created to replicate the look of traditional neon has steadily increased.
While proponents of LED alternatives point to the energy efficiency and lower cost of these methods, those campaigning for the protection of neon sign-making contend that this causes a severe threat to the livelihoods of genuine neon sign-makers who require training and expertise to hone their craft.
Many LED signs that incorporate typography or a written style are advertised as “neon signs” or simply “neon” which Neon Creations and the Heritage Crafts Association (HCA) argue has led to the decreasing visibility of genuine neon.
In 2023, Catherine Spink launched an initiative with the help of the HCA to put an end to what they say is the false advertising of LED signs listed as ‘neon’.
The campaign was backed by the Heritage Crafts Association (HCA), including HCA executive director Daniel Carpenter. As part of the initial campaign, Spink sent a letter addressing the issue, with over 90 supporters, to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Trading Standards.
The skill of creating neon is currently listed on the HCA’s Red List of Endangered Crafts.
