The grocery retailer is in the process of replacing paper signage with electronic shelf edge labels, which can direct shoppers to Co-op’s membership webpage via their mobile phone where they can sign-up and start to save on a range of products.
The move has been conducted in partnership with VusionGroup, with the labels set to improve the customer shopping experience, enhance the transparency of product information, improve inventory management and cut paper waste. Electronic shelf edge labels can also simplify tasks such as stock replenishment and picking online grocery orders.
Electronic labels can now be seen in more than 700 Co-op stores and are expected to be rolled-out to more than 1,600 stores by the end of the year.
“Co-op is committed to continually exploring innovative technology that can improve how we operate – with ease, convenience and the customer experience at the heart of everything we do,” said David Tyas, operations innovation lead at Co-op.
“The electronic labels not only have the potential to enhance product information and transparency, avoid paper waste, and improve ways of working, they can also enhance the shopping experience and make it easier for customers to become a Co-op member and start to benefit from member price savings, promotions and deals, and save on a wide range of everyday essentials.”
Roy Horgan, CEO for UK & Ireland at VusionGroup, added: “We are proud to be partnering with the Co-op to give UK customers access to the benefits of electronic shelf labels and technology for the physical store.
“Co-op’s innovative use of NFC tags to seamlessly link customers to the benefits of membership directly from the shelf is just one demonstration of how this technology can transform the retail experience. With other applications across the supply chain and customer journey, this rollout is an important step in what we expect will be a broader industry transformation.”
In June, Co-op announced it would stop trading with Israel in response to 73% of its members voting in favour of a motion which called for such action.
The motion urged the Co-op board to “show moral courage and leadership” by taking all Israeli products off the shelves in response to its ongoing assault on Palestinians in Gaza, which has been determined a genocide by numerous leading human rights organisation and scholars.
Meanwhile, a UN food security body has since declared that Israel has caused man-made famine in Gaza as result of its blockade on aid.
