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Swiss retailer to enter major electronic shelf-edge labelling trial

Swiss retailer to enter major electronic shelf-edge labelling trial

 

Migros, one of Switzlerland’s leading retailer, has selected ZBD’s epaper solution as part of a major pilot project that will see the company move away from price-marked products in favour of electronic shelf-edge labelling (ESL).

 

As Switzerland’s largest supermarket retailer, Migros sells almost a quarter of the country’s food through an estate of more than 700 stores and ZBD’s epaper displays have been implemented within six stores initially to test customer reaction.

 

The retailer operates a co-operative business model and employs almost 80,000 people within its network of supermarkets and special stores. In March 2009, Migros publicly announced its decision to move away from price-marked goods to shelf-edge labelling, giving the project a two-year timeframe.

 

Pilot is sign of the times

 

Migros is the only major retailer in Europe to still print pricing directly onto individual products. Factors that influenced their decision to move towards shelf-edge labelling included ensuring compliance between price at the shelf edge and point of sale. This is in addition to savings achieved as a result of eliminating the need to destroy product packaging when pricing changes.

 

Migros is due to make its final decision on ESL adoption in May 2010, with wide-scale deployment of the chosen solution expected from mid-2010 onwards. The retailer also plans to introduce a paper shelf labelling system in parallel with the electronic system, and will assess the costs and benefits of ESL technology compared to paper.

 

Commenting on the decision to pilot ZBD’s electronic shelf labels, Aurelius Wespi, Migros project leader, said: “It is time for us to change our current system in favour of shelf edge labelling, and this project is key to the future success of our business. We chose ZBD’s solution, amongst others, because of its zero infrastructure requirements and its visually appealing displays.”