CJ Lang is set to roll out electronic shelf labels (ESLs) across its entire company-owned estate by the end of the financial year.
The Scottish Spar wholesaler kicked off a trial with six stores in June. They are used across all categories, including promotional labels, in varying sizes to fit every fixture of the store.
Cambridge-based technology integrator Herbert Retail implemented the solution to replace the traditional paper-based shelf-edge labels across the trial stores.
The ESLs are manufactured by Samsung-invested company Solum.
“Like many in the industry, we currently use paper labels in most of our stores,” said CJ Lang IT director Graham Murdoch. “The introduction of ESLs makes our whole price change process automated and instant.
“It improves reliability in terms of pricing, while hugely reducing tasks in our stores as well stationery and POS costs too.”
The wholesaler said the introduction of ESLs will save 52 days of labour a year per store. The tech allows for fast and accurate updates on critical information such as emergency price changes.
The labels also highlight nutritional, allergen, stock and product information for shoppers, offering an “enhanced customer experience”.
They are controlled and adjusted centrally which means price and promotional changes are done automatically.
“We’ve looked at ESLs for many years and viewed many different systems,” added Murdoch. “Previously, either the technology hasn’t been right or the price has been prohibitive.
“That is now no longer the case. We’re working with excellent suppliers to trial ESLs before a store rollout and for us, we very much feel the time is right.”
Solum UK & Ireland country manager Mark Duckworth said: “We are delighted to partner with CJ Lang as they roll out electronic shelf labels. We spent time working through the business case, testing the solution would fulfil the requirements and it’s fantastic to see it being proven in the stores.”
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