Operations Expert

Electronic shelf labels gain ground across US supermarkets. 28th August 2026 Electronic shelf labels are moving steadily into the mainstream of US grocery retail, with an increasing number of supermarket operators adopting, testing or expanding digital shelf technology. What was once viewed largely as an emerging retail technology is becoming an important part of the modern supermarket, as retailers look for better ways to manage prices, promotions, inventory and store operations. Kroger is among the major US grocery operators to have expanded its use of electronic shelf labels after previously testing the technology in a limited number of stores. The retailer has been increasing deployment as digital pricing becomes more closely integrated with wider store technology and operational systems. Reports in 2025 indicated that Kroger was expanding the technology after trials in 20 stores. The trend is not limited to the largest national operators. Regional supermarket groups are also moving ahead. Hy-Vee announced a partnership with VusionGroup to introduce electronic shelf labels in more than 230 stores. The technology is designed not only to automate price changes but also to support promotions and help employees locate products during online order fulfilment through flashing indicators on the shelf labels. Schnucks has also embraced digital shelf technology, with Instacart's Carrot Tags being rolled out across its supermarket network. The system gives shoppers digital pricing and product information while also creating opportunities to connect shelf technology with other digital services, including smart shopping and fulfilment tools. Aldi and Lidl are also among the retailers identified as moving towards wider electronic shelf label adoption in the US. Their interest is particularly significant because discount supermarkets operate highly efficient models where fast price changes, promotional execution and labour productivity can have a direct impact on store performance. Industry reporting in 2026 lists both Aldi and Lidl among US retailers moving towards greater use of ESL technology. The appeal of ESLs goes well beyond eliminating paper price tickets. A connected electronic label can receive price changes directly from a retailer's central system, reducing the amount of manual work required by store employees. This can make promotional changes faster and help retailers maintain greater consistency between the price displayed on the shelf and the price held in their systems. The technology is also increasingly being connected to online grocery fulfilment. Digital labels can incorporate lights or other visual signals that help store employees locate products quickly when preparing customer orders. This is particularly valuable as supermarkets continue to operate stores as both shopping destinations and fulfilment centres for online orders. Another important development is the increasing connection between ESLs and the wider digital store. Modern labels can display more than a simple price. Depending on the system, they can provide promotional information, product details and scannable digital content, while acting as a visible interface between the retailer's technology infrastructure and the physical shelf. Schnucks, for example, describes its digital shelf tags as providing pricing, sales and other product information. The expansion of ESL technology is nevertheless attracting scrutiny. Because electronic labels allow prices to be changed remotely, the technology has become part of the wider debate surrounding dynamic and personalised pricing in supermarkets. Concerns about so-called surveillance pricing have been raised in the US, particularly as retailers increasingly use data and digital systems to understand customer behaviour. Retailers and technology suppliers, however, argue that the principal benefits are operational: improving price accuracy, reducing the labour required to change labels, speeding up promotions and creating a more responsive store environment. The direction of travel is becoming increasingly clear. Walmart has been pursuing a major digital shelf label programme, while Kroger, Hy-Vee, Schnucks, Aldi and Lidl are among the other grocery retailers associated with the growing US adoption of the technology. For the supermarket industry, the significance of ESLs may ultimately be much greater than replacing paper labels. As electronic shelf technology becomes connected to pricing, inventory, online fulfilment, promotions and retail media, the shelf itself is becoming part of the supermarket's digital infrastructure. The US market therefore provides a clear indication of where supermarket technology is heading: the electronic shelf label is increasingly becoming a tool for running the store, rather than simply a digital replacement for a piece of paper.

ePaper industry brief: Vusion's acquisition of In-Store Media. * by Seekink * 2026-07-30 ePaper industry brief: Vusion's acquisition of In-Store Media - A watershed moment for the electronic shelf label industry. As the global ESL leader transforms hardware networks into retail media assets, the strategic value of ePaper display modules is being redefined. Table of Contents The event: A deal that shakes retail tech. On July 27, 2026, Vusion Group - the global leader in AI-powered digitalization solutions for physical commerce - announced the signing of an agreement to acquire In-Store Media (ISM), a Barcelona-based in-store retail media company. This is no small transaction. ISM generated approximately Euro 120 million in revenue in 2025 with robust profitability, maintains relationships with more than 90 retail banners and over 1,600 brands, and operates across 9 countries spanning EMEA, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. ISM has developed a flexible portfolio of over 50 print and digital media solutions designed to meet advertiser needs across hypermarkets, supermarkets, shopping centers, department stores, and specialty stores. Vusion Group (the former SES-imagotag) is the undisputed market leader in electronic shelf labels (ESL), with over 600 million ESL units installed worldwide and 2025 adjusted revenue of approximately Euro 1.5 billion, serving more than 350 major retail groups globally. Mr. Thierry Gadou (Chairman and CEO | Vusion Group) stated: "The next big digital media is the physical store. Retail media has already transformed the economics of online commerce. The next frontier is in stores, where most shopper traffic remains and decisions of purchase are made." This statement captures the strategic essence of the acquisition. Insight: electronic shelf labels are becoming retail media "low-carbon infrastructure" To understand the significance of this acquisition, one must see the broader industry trend. Over the past 5 years, retail media has become one of the most important profit growth drivers for retailers - but primarily through online channels. Yet the vast majority of shopper traffic and purchasing decisions still take place in physical stores, where retailers and brands have a powerful opportunity to engage with consumers at the moment of truth. This online-offline gap is exactly what Vusion Group is targeting. By acquiring ISM, Vusion gains 3 critical assets: * Advertising expertise: ISM's deep experience in designing, deploying, and monetizing in-store retail media networks * Brand and retailer relationships: 1,600+ brand partners and 90+ retail banners * Scalable operating capabilities: A mature commercial platform across 9 countries Vusion's plan is clear: combine its ESL network spanning tens of thousands of stores worldwide with ISM's advertising monetization capabilities to build a digital in-store retail media platform connecting retailers, brands, and shoppers through measurable, real-time in-store activation. In other words, electronic shelf labels are no longer just "price display screens" - they are becoming the digital low-carbon infrastructure of retail media. As industry analyst firm invidis observed: "With the acquisition of ISM, the ESL provider Vusion Group is moving up the value chain - the boundaries between hardware and ecosystem providers are increasingly disappearing in retail tech." Implications: what this means for the ePaper supply chain. This acquisition sends 3 important signals to the entire ePaper display industry. Signal 1: The ESL value chain is extending. Historically, the value of ESL has been framed around operational cost reduction - automated price changes, reduced labor errors, improved efficiency. But Vusion's acquisition signals that industry leaders are redefining ESL networks as revenue-generating assets - monetizing physical stores through in-store advertising and creating new income streams for retailers. The ESL is evolving from a cost-saving tool into a revenue-creation platform. Signal 2: Display module quality will be reevaluated. When ESL networks carry advertising monetization, display quality, color performance, refresh speed, and reliability are no longer just technical specifications - they directly impact ad content presentation and brand advertiser confidence. Full-color ePaper, large-format ePaper signage, and high-performance display solutions will see accelerated demand as retailers and brands seek to maximize the visual impact of their in-store media campaigns. Signal 3: industry consolidation is accelerating. Vusion's acquisition is not an isolated event. The ESL market is moving from hardware competition to ecosystem competition - where the winner is not the one with the best display, but the one who can offer a complete closed-loop from hardware to software, from data to monetization. Insights for SEEKINK. As a global leader in ePaper display module manufacturing, SEEKINK has been closely tracking these industry developments. The Vusion-ISM acquisition confirms what Seekink has long believed: ePaper display technology is evolving from "replacing paper" to "empowering the Internet of Everything." In smart retail, ePaper is no longer just a price tag carrier - it is the interactive interface connecting physical shelves with the digital world. From 1-inch to 75-inch, from monochrome to full color, SEEKINK delivers high-performance ePaper display modules for ESL and retail IoT applications worldwide. With over 100 patents, in-house module manufacturing, and a long-term strategic partnership with E Ink Corporation, SEEKINK is actively defining industry standards for the next generation of ePaper displays. Seekink believe that as retail media accelerates its rollout in physical stores, ePaper display technology will encounter broader applications and more demanding technical requirements. Retail digitalization is just beginning. ePaper is the foundation. Jiangxi SEEKINK Technology Co., Ltd. (SEEKINK) is a global leader in ePaper display module manufacturing, offering one-stop services from ePaper displays to finished product assembly. Headquartered in Jiangxi, China, with manufacturing facilities in Vietnam and a monthly production capacity exceeding 20 million units, SEEKINK serves customers worldwide through its global network, which spans Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Germany. Products are widely applied in smart retail, smart office, smart education, smart logistics, and other IoT domains.