Swedish in-store automation firm Pricer is rolling out electronic shelf labels (ESLs) to surplus supermarket chain Company Shop’s entire UK estate.

The partnership will let Company Shop optimise in-store operations and improve productivity, while leveraging dynamic pricing so customers can access good food at the best prices and reduce food waste.

Company Shop surplus supermarkets sell discounted surplus from over 800 brands, retailers and manufacturers to its members who meet specific criteria. Each year, it redistributes over 100 million items across multiple categories and prevents 122,000 tons of CO₂ annually. 

As a surplus supermarket, its assortment of shorter shelf-life goods changes rapidly, often multiple times daily, requiring frequent updates to product information at the shelf edge. Additionally, its commitment to offering its members the best value meant store colleagues were conducting several manual pricing changes throughout the day. This manual shelf-edge tasking required significant labour hours.

The installation of Pricer’s in-store technology for communication and digitalisation will thus create operational efficiencies, enabling store staff time to be used elsewhere within the stores.

Partnering with Pricer, Company Shop has digitally transformed the shelf edge with dynamic pricing and markdown capabilities. The centrally controlled ESLs deliver automated real-time pricing updates direct to the shelf edge throughout the day, boosting productivity. Already the ESLs have contributed to a five per cent improvement in productivity while allowing shop assistants to focus on customer service-oriented rather than manual tasks, such as checking or updating prices.

As well as a significant operational cost saving, the dynamic pricing capabilities have also improved pricing accuracy. This ensures members always receive the current prices, while encouraging sell-through on short shelf-life surplus goods to reduce wastage.

“Introducing Pricer’s ESLs has been a game-changer, not just for our store colleagues, who have seen labour productivity boosted and their time freed to focus on delivering customer service, but especially for our members,” said Gemma Edlin, head of retail at Company Shop. “Our vision is to create a world where no surplus products go to waste, so with real-time and to-the-second accurate pricing via the ESLs, our members know they’ll always be getting the very best price on offer, meaning more sell-through and less waste.”

Peter Ward, UK country manager at Pricer, added: “Company Shop has found a smart way to reduce food waste, which supports the FMCG sector and key workers by providing access to good food that would have otherwise been wasted, while also helping to reduce the impact of waste on the environment. And this means it really is delivering a win-win for both people and planet. With dynamic pricing capabilities, our ESLs mean more Company Shop members can access the best prices available, while store colleagues can control pricing efficiently while also focusing on those service delivery tasks that drive up customer experience and satisfaction.”

Already live in Company Shop’s St Helens and Long Eaton stores, Pricer will complete the rollout of its ESLs across all 13 Company Shop stores this month partnering with Renovotec (renovotec.com) on the in-store installations.

Company Shop (www.companyshop.co.uk) is a UK redistributor and retailer of surplus products and is part of the wider Biffa Group. The commercial arm of the business operates 13 surplus supermarkets across England and Scotland, which sell discounted surplus from over 800 brands, retailers and manufacturers to its members, who meet specific criteria.

Pricer (www.pricer.com) serves the rapidly growing smart retail market with in-store digital technology that enhances store performance and the shopping experience. The firm was founded in Sweden in 1991.