This typically British fiasco was caused by everyone running round like headless chickens trying to prove how 'green' they are and succeeding only in proving their heads are, indeed, ...er...cabbages.
The Pocos faced massive fines from the Regulator [Ofgem], if they did not implement carbon reduction schemes. The free CFL scam was their answer- it cost a lot less than the fines- and they delivered them gratis to households by the bucketful to folks who hated them and had firmly resisted the notion of actually buying the dratted things. It is thought that most of them are sitting unused in millions of kitchen drawers. Not only that, but they posted cheap outdated models too, with dubious light output and life claims. Then put up their rates to protect the bottom line so that poor old Joe Soap kinda got it in the shorts, twice.
I have now discovered that the old filament bulbs are freely available at electricians' wholesale outlets in the UK for industrial use. Just tell the clerk they are for your factory!
