SES-imagotag and Kavanagh Group claim UK first as they open IoT powered grocery store in London

SES-imagotag has announced the opening of the UK’s first VUSION 360 powered store.

Leveraging the firm’s VUSION Retail IoT Cloud platform, Kavanagh’s location in Belsize Park, London taps various retail applications to improve its daily operations, providing a 360° view on all store activities and delivering data and feedback on actions in-store.

The store features automated price and promotion execution with real-time shelf visibility, helping to both drive sales and prioritise replenishment of high value and margin products.

Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the owners were still seeing a demand for quality, local produce and an offering that met ethical standards. The challenge was being able to provide this while operating efficiently, sustainably, and innovating with agility.

Since deploying SES-imagotag’s VUSION platform, the owners say that the location has benefited from optimal inventory management, maintained accurate pricing and promotions, seamlessly executed in-store marketing campaigns, and boosted in-store shopper connectivity.

Customers also benefit through clear, current, and engaging content, as well as easily accessible information, such as where products have come from, to identify and buy the items they want and need.

The store can deploy ‘spotlight’ messaging to customers to better inform them, but also to engage them in local community initiatives, promote local produce, and even drive direct contribution to charities through interactions with the digital shelf.

Over the coming weeks, Kavanagh Group and SES-imagotag will be working together to introduce further product information at the shelf, such as sustainability ratings, as well as enhanced digital media solutions to attract and convert shoppers to offers in-store.

“Retailers are under immense pressure to increase revenue and reduce operational costs, all while generating a better customer experience. In a bid to achieve this, they are operating numerous different processes to ensure their stores run smoothly,” says David Morgan, VP Customer Value Propositions, SES-imagotag.

He adds: “While each of these processes undoubtedly bring value to individual teams or departments within a store, many of them aren’t connected enough to deliver their highest value.”

“A store utilising an integrated set of digital solutions that work together becomes a digital asset with the ability to use granular insight to improve performance and service with exceptional agility and efficiency.”

“The 360 store delivers capabilities that allow us to get timely insights and visibility on shelf stock availability, promotion execution, “proof of play” and more accurate and efficient restocking,” says owner of the store and Managing Director at Kavanagh Group, Noel Kavanagh Jnr.

“By turning the physical store into a digital asset, we can optimise return on investment opportunities on an ongoing, sustainable basis in a volatile and challenging market. Our customers can also utilise a store that is agile and efficient, meaning that the store staff have more time to serve and assist them.”

“A 360 store builds customer trust and can demonstrate alignment with their values and local community which is hugely important to us.”

“Synergy is the seamless integration between parts to produce a combined greater than the sum of their separate effects, this is what a VUSION 360 store is about,” says Roy Horgan, SEVP – Group Strategy, Marketing & Communications, SES-imagotag.

“Store digitalisation is not only good for retailers and brands, it also benefits society through the positive impact on local stores at the heart of the community.”

“By combining the values of our solutions and the insights gathered in stores, VUSION guides retailers toward a better, more sustainable business model. Kavanagh’s of Belsize is a perfect example of that and we are delighted to help them in that journey.”