Major retailer moves to take till system to market, touting scalability, flexibility and control benefits

Major retailer moves to take till system to market, touting scalability, flexibility and control benefits

The Co-operative Group is launching a drive to sell its electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) and store management system, which was developed in-house, to other retailers.

The InControl-Evolution system was created by the Group’s software development team and is already successfully operational in 3,000 Co-operative stores around the UK, including food and pharmacy branches.

Confidence enough for market venture

The plan to go-to-market is a first for the Group, which it said underlines its confidence in the advanced EPoS and store management system, enabling users to mix and match a range of applications including stock control, shelf replenishment and mobile terminals that allow back-office tasks to be carried out remotely.

A dedicated website has been created, which enables potential customers to find out more about what the system has to offer, and allows the applications to be selected and downloaded, so that end-users can cherry-pick programmes that are specific to their requirements.

Ian Dyson, director of Information Services for The Co-operative Group, said: “We are extremely proud of our InControl-Evolution system and, in particular, the benefits that have been leveraged from its utilisation within our businesses through improved control, management information and scalability. There is a professional and dedicated software development team underpinning the success of the product that is focussed on maintaining and developing InControl-Evolution and associated solutions.”

Exploiting green credentials

The system also features the award-winning “Wake-up on LAN” programme, that switches off tills, receipt printers, customer and operator screens, chip and PIN devices and barcode scanners when stores close, and powers them up again the following morning before stores open.

The programme led to The Co-operative Group’s Food Retail Information Services team becoming the winner of the inaugural Environmental Initiative of the Year prize at the Retail Systems Awards in 2008.