Morrisons is set to enhance the shopping experience across all 497 of its stores by introducing a new ‘flashing labels’ feature. This innovative functionality will be integrated into the retailer’s electronic shelf edge labels, designed to help customers quickly find the products they are searching for.
The technology is currently being developed to work alongside the Morrisons Product Finder app. When shoppers use the app to locate an item, they will be able to activate a button that causes a light on the corresponding product’s shelf label to blink, indicating exactly where the item is situated within the store.
This approach bears resemblance to the “shop to light” system used by Walmart in the United States. Gordon Macpherson, Morrisons’ Group Productivity Director, explained: “We are currently developing our version of Shop to Light through the Morrisons Product Finder app. Soon, customers will be able to visit a store, use the app, and see a flashing label guiding them to their chosen product.”
The rollout of this feature complements Morrisons’ broader initiative, in partnership with VusionGroup, to install electronic shelf labels across its entire supermarket estate. The project involves fitting 10.8 million smart labels, making Morrisons the first major UK supermarket to adopt this technology on such a large scale.
Electronic shelf labels will replace traditional paper price tags, providing up-to-date and accurate pricing and product information directly on shelves. This automation will reduce time spent on manual labelling tasks, allowing colleagues to focus more on customer service.
Furthermore, the smart labels will instantly display Morrisons More Card savings and special offers, enhancing the in-store shopping experience. The technology will also integrate with digital shelf-edge cameras to help staff identify and address product gaps quickly, speeding up replenishment. Additionally, it will support e-commerce operations by improving the accuracy and efficiency of online order picking.
Overall, Morrisons’ new ‘flashing labels’ and electronic shelf edge label system represent a significant step towards a more streamlined and customer-friendly shopping environment.