East of England Co-op Boosts Productivity and Sustainability with Pricer’s ESL Technology

November 22, 2024 Dominic Lill

The East of England Co-op, the largest independent retailer in the East of England, has achieved a significant milestone in improving its in-store operations and customer experience. By adopting Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) from Pricer, the cooperative has reduced labour time spent on maintaining paper labels by an impressive 70%.

This automation has freed store staff from time-intensive manual tasks, allowing them to focus on delivering superior customer experiences (CX). The new system also minimises pricing errors and ensures real-time accuracy in price and promotion updates, bolstering overall operational efficiency.

Sustainability Gains: Lower Costs and Reduced Waste

The transition to ESLs has not only streamlined operations but also brought considerable sustainability benefits. The cooperative has halved its store printing costs and significantly reduced paper waste associated with traditional labels. This shift aligns with the East of England Co-op’s broader commitment to environmental responsibility.

Leveraging Technology for Regional Growth

Founded in 1861, the East of England Co-op operates over 120 food stores and offers a variety of community-focused services, including funeral services, travel agents, security, and petrol stations. The cooperative’s commitment to innovation is evident in its adoption of Pricer’s cloud-based Plaza platform, which centralizes pricing and promotional management across its ESL network.

This strategic move allows the cooperative to automate and standardise shelf-edge processes, improving store performance while enhancing the shopping experience for customers.

Progress Across the Retail Estate

With the ESL rollout now implemented in around 40% of its retail estate, the benefits are already apparent. Before adopting ESLs, the cooperative dedicated tens of thousands of labour hours annually to manual shelf-edge tasks, such as printing, tearing label strips, and replacing paper labels.

Stephen Lamb, Head of Program Delivery at East of England Co-op, emphasised the collaborative success of the project:

“The standout aspect of our ESLs Programme is the collaborative spirit Pricer has fostered within the delivery team. This partnership has navigated the challenges of an intensive change programme, demonstrating resilience and adaptability while exceeding the original scope of price and promotion for tangible benefits.”

Pricer: Enhancing Retail Efficiency

Pricer, a global leader in in-store automation solutions, is at the forefront of driving labour productivity for retailers. Peter Ward, UK Country Manager at Pricer, highlighted the value of enabling store staff to focus on customer-centric tasks:

“Through ESLs, East of England Co-op has freed store associates to serve, deliver efficiency gains, and enhance customer experience, whilst still achieving all the automated operational requirements to effectively merchandise and maintain the shelf-edge.”

Looking Ahead

As the rollout progresses across its remaining stores, the East of England Co-op is poised to continue reaping the benefits of increased efficiency, enhanced customer service, and reduced environmental impact. This partnership with Pricer demonstrates how technology can drive meaningful change in retail, making operations smarter, faster, and more sustainable.