Digital SELs cut costs and waste

A digital shelf-edge specialist that promises to reduce overheads and labour hours in stores is looking to expand its latest concept through symbol groups.

SES Imagotag partnered with Kavanagh’s Budgens in north London last month to launch its Vusion 360 store.

Using a combination of cameras and digital shelf-edge labels linked to the store’s EPoS, staff are able to monitor stock levels in real time and instantly update any pricing changes.

SES Imagotag’s senior executive vice-president of group strategy, marketing and communications, Roy Horgan, told RN the store had reduced time spent manually changing shelf pricing by 10 hours a week. He added: “It also helps a store identify potential wastage, such as incorrect products on the shelves, stock gaps or any sudden price changes.

“Our target is to help Kavanagh’s Budgens reduce its annual wastage by £100,000.

“They can push out promotions in seconds, which would typically be

half a day’s work.”

The company operates on a subscription model, with pricing dependent on the store. It counts Co-op, Londis, Costcutter, Morrisons Daily, AF Blakemore and Spar among its customers.

Horgan added: “We’ve got another Vusion 360 store with Spar and our intention is to do it with more UK symbol groups.”

Pricing analysis alongside interviews with wholesalers and retailers helped formulate the results.

TWC development director Tom Fender said: “The key challenge the sector faces is there needs to be sufficient margin to achieve this without pushing the price too high.

“The solution is for wholesalers, retailers and suppliers to work together.”

Click & collect for JW Filshill

Wholesaler JW Filshill has opened click & collect services at its new Westway distribution centre in Glasgow.

The service was made available last week following the opening of the new site. The firm’s chief executive, Simon Hannah, provided the first click & collect customer at the Westway distribution centre, Aurangzeb Khaliq, of KeyStore Great Western Road, with a goody bag to mark the occasion.

The purpose of the new site is to improve the delivered service to Filshill’s KeyStore symbol and unaffiliated customers.