ESL – It’s not all about the price tag.

Back in the Summer of 2021, I wrote about how British supermarket retailers were lagging behind the rest of the Europe in their deployment of Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) systems. Since that time, I’m pleased to say that we have seen a huge uptick in the number of UK supermarkets trialling and embracing ESL. The ability to quickly respond to pricing changes, whilst minimising errors and staff time has been recognised and, over the next three years, I expect these systems to become common place.

But the benefits do not stop there. Once an ESL is in place, it can unlock a whole new world of opportunities for retailers and shoppers alike.
 

Could you show me where…?

I can rarely visit a supermarket these days without having to ask an assistant where one of my favourite products has been moved to or overhearing someone else asking a similar question. It’s frustrating for the customer and time consuming for staff. But with ESL systems in place, this type of question could become a thing of the past.

Imagine just typing milk into your supermarket app and directions popping up with the ESL label starting to flash when you get to the right aisle. This type of geo-location opportunity will be another step forward in helping to orientate and point customers to their favourites in the store.
 

Vital information at your fingertips

Want to try a new product or ingredient but not sure how to use it? Bring your smartphone close to the ESL to use NFC technology or scan the QR code and recipes to inspire you will be displayed on your phone. Alternatively, the same application can be used to show the list of ingredients in a product – for those with allergy or dietary concerns. The ability to provide informative or engaging additional content becomes much easier once the ESL system is in place.
 

Just grab and go

Queuing at the check-out or scanning your own goods can be a frustrating experience for the customer and costly for the retailer. The same NFC or QR technology used for displaying ingredients can also be used for new shop and go solutions. Simply scan the ESL as you pick up the goods and head straight home when your shopping is done. With the ESL system connected to the payment system, your shop can be automatically charged to your debit or credit card. No more queuing or self-checkout to worry about.