Kesko Oyj (HEL:KESAV) K-food Stores' Signs To Be Illuminated With LEDs

Kesko Oyj (HEL:KESAV) KESKO FOOD LTD PRESS RELEASE 12.01.2009 AT 09.30 1(1)

The LED lighting technology will replace neon and fluorescent tubes in K-food stores' signage. Based on the agreement made with Imagon Oy of Kajaani, LED lighting only will be used in the new illuminated signs of K-food stores. In addition, possibilities of replacing the neon and fluorescent tubes of existing signs with the new LED technology are also studied.

"Using the LED lighting technology on this scale is unique, as LEDs remain rare in cased illuminated advertising, which is the largest category among Kesko Food's store signage. We are constantly developing new solutions to increase the energy efficiency of K-food stores, and the LED technology represents one answer to this," says Purchasing Manager Vesa Kortesniemi of Kesko Food.

The most immediate environmental impact of giving up using neon and fluorescent tubes is reduced electricity consumption, as the adoption of LEDs for new signage is estimated to save the amount of electricity used by 40 electricity-heated one-family houses annually. Indirect environmental impact is reflected in the reduced need for maintenance work and travel involved.

"This is a significant definition from Kesko Food internationally, too. Kesko Food is one of the first European companies to adopt an energy-saving source of light that does not produce hazardous waste for its illuminated signage on such a wide scale," says Mika Okkonen, Managing Director of Imagon.

The advantages of the LED lighting technology include:

- longer life, over 10 years (cf. fluorescent tube about 5 years) - less need for maintenance thanks to longer life - LED illuminated signs do not contain hazardous waste (cf. mercury in fluorescent and neon tubes) - considerably lower energy consumption (60-80% compared with neon and fluorescent tubes, depending on the shape and size of the sign) - LEDs dim much less than fluorescent and neon tubes during their life

Photos can be downloaded from http://aineistopankki.kesko.fi/kesko_en.

Further information: Purchasing Manager Vesa Kortesniemi, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 1053 22445 Managing Director Mika Okkonen, Imagon Oy, tel. +358 40 300 4089

Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus.

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Kesko Oyj

http://www.kesko.fi

ISIN: FI0009007900

Stock Identifier: XHEL.KESAV