Morrisons: Yorkshire-based supermarket chain launches flashing shelf lables to help customers find items
Yorkshire-based Morrisons has launched flashing shelf labels to help customers find products quickly via their mobile phones.
Customers can search for items on their phone via the product finder tool on the home page of the supermarket’s More Card app and select “flash price label”.
The app will share the in-store location, ask the customer to confirm if they are in the right aisle, and then the corresponding digital shelf label will flash magenta, making it easier for the customer to spot the exact product they want.
Morrisons believes the move is a first in the UK after being widely adopted in the US.
The technology is being rolled out across more than 270 Morrisons stores which have the digital shelf labels installed.
Gordon Macpherson, group productivity director at Morrisons, said: “We know that Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for our customers and we’re always looking for new ways to make their shopping experience as easy and convenient as possible.
“Our new ‘shop to light’ feature is a great example of how we’re using technology to make a real difference in-store, helping our customers find the products they need quickly, whether they’re shopping for their Christmas dinner or just popping in to pick up a few last-minute essentials.”
The grocer said the feature was ideal for navigating high-density product aisles like herbs, spices or sauces, as well as locating popular seasonal items such as cranberry sauce.
Morrisons has partnered with Vusion to install the electronic shelf labels, which can also update prices automatically and improve accuracy, it said.
Roy Horgan, UK and Ireland chief executive at Vusion, said: “Technology has a huge role to play in making the shopping journey simpler, faster and more enjoyable for customers.
“‘Shop to light’ is a great example of how we can help customers find what they need while making stores more seamless.”
In April, Bradford-based Morrisons told staff on that it was launching a consultation over job cuts as it also plans to step up its use of AI across its operations.
The cuts will be spread across roles at its Hilmore House headquarters, impacting less than 10 per cent of jobs at the site.
Last year, the company started a long-term programme to overhaul its central business operations.
Morrisons said in April that it would concentrate on its core activities, streamline processes and structures, and automate a number of manual tasks as part of this.
The company will also “capitalise on the potential of data and AI to improve performance”, the retailer added.