Are we on the edge of a digital shelf revolution?

Derek Way takes a closer look at the pros and cons of the digitisation of shelf edges and considers the likely impact on the retail environment for both independent and national retailers.

Earlier this year, Waitrose announced its trial of the next generation of digital shelf edge ticketing. Furthermore, this summer, various media outlets reported that Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons would be switching to digital labelling systems, sparking concerns that they planned to use these systems to take advantage of surge pricing.

While the reports certainly grabbed headlines, industry experts have since played down the claims, stating that the implementation costs would not be balanced out by sufficient benefits to justify the financial outlay.