EQUIPMENT & DESIGN
Shelving Solutions
Making the Case for Smarter Shelves and Labels WHE THER FOR CONSUMER E XPERIENCE OR INVENTORY MANAGEMENT, THESE SOLUTIONS OFFER RE WARDS GOING INTO 2021. By Thad Rueter
n late October — as food retailers continued to deal not only with the pandemic-fueled rise of e-commerce, but also the ongoing trend of consumers seeking more transparency regarding groceries — Fresh Thyme was getting smarter about shelves. The Downers Grove, Ill.-based food retailer has started deploying ELI codes to shelf tags this month. ELI codes, when scanned by a smartphone, will display important product information, including content from supplier-provided product data and images, to enhance the overall shopping experience. They’re based on QR code technology and can be read natively by most modern smartphones without requiring an app. The technology will enable customers and employees to access rich-product content at the shelf simply by scanning a QR code with their smartphones — an especially attractive tool for shoppers at Fresh Thyme, which focuses on natural foods. “When fully executed, the ELI codes will allow our customers to have real-time access to information and education to make well-informed purchases,” says Jonathan Lawrence, Fresh Thyme’s senior director of grocery and natural living. “They have all the benefits of an e-commerce platform experience, with the ability to utilize the product immediately.” As food retailers embrace omnichannel commerce, and as they seek more efficient ways to manage inventory in this age of pandemic and rising grocery e-commerce, smart shelving and labeling technology offers solutions to those challenges. The technology is poised to grow in 2021, but to achieve successful deployments, as well as earning buy-in from suppliers and shoppers, food retailers need to figure out what they’re really trying to do.
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progressivegrocer.com
Key Takeaways As food retailers embrace omnichannel commerce and seek more efficient ways to manage inventory, smart shelving and labeling technology can help them address those challenges. Technology facilitating product transparency can help retailers keep up with inventory problems and restocking issues, and keep shoppers better informed about available products. Suppliers have a strong incentive to provide clean data and engaging content as more shoppers adopt omnichannel mindsets and demand products that meet such dietary requirements as keto, gluten-free and vegan.