East of England Co-op to install Pricer’s digital platform in all stores

East of England Co-op, one of the largest regional co-operatives in the UK, has signed an agreement with Swedish retail tech company Pricer for a full-chain installation worth SEK 50m (£3.7m) in all of its food stores with the cloud-based platform Pricer Plaza and digital labels.

To improve operational efficiency in its over 120 food stores, East of England Co-op has selected Pricer’s in-store automation and communication solution and the latest four color electronic shelf labels. The installation will start in June and the plan is to have all installations finalised during spring 2025.

The food stores across the East of England region will benefit from a fast and retail grade platform enabling real-time updates across all locations. The solution is based on the platform Pricer Plaza, which provides a cloud-based software solution that enables the chains to centrally manage and control pricing, product information, and promotions across all electronic shelf labels in all connected stores.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Pricer, marking a significant milestone in our journey of simplification. This collaboration will revolutionise our approach to shelf-edge technology, streamlining processes for our team and enhancing the shopping experience for our members and customers. It’s a step towards a future where simplicity and efficiency elevate the retail experience for everyone involved,” said Sarah Steels, chief transformation officer at the East of England Co-operative Society.

Mats Arnehall, chief commercial officer at Pricer, said: “It’s incredibly gratifying to witness the interest we’ve seen in the UK market translate into large-scale installations. With rising minimum wages, inflationary pressures, and staffing shortages, the imperative to digitize stores has never been more apparent.

“This is a strategically important deal in grocery in the UK and Ireland in a market that is embracing digital shelf labels for the first time. We eagerly anticipate partnering with East of England Co-op, playing a pivotal role in their digitization strategy to enhance operational efficiency in stores and deliver an enhanced shopping experience, says.

The order value of approximately SEK 50m includes the cost of Pricer Plaza until the end of 2027 and technical support.