With the constant pressure to execute promotions quickly, protect margins, and free up staff time from repetitive tasks like paper tag changes, more grocers are integrating electronic shelf labels (ESLs).
But a smooth ESL rollout starts long before the digital displays go live. It is built with the right hardware choice for long-term resilience and performance, and with the right partner offering lifetime product innovation and support.
When hardware fits properly, electronic shelf labels deliver accurate pricing and greater efficiency without getting in the way of the shopping experience. Read on to learn how to navigate a successful ESL transition in your grocery space without disrupting operations.
Grocery Stores: Why ESLs and Why Now?
For grocers, pricing accuracy and faster promotional changes are at the center of the ESL conversation. But digital labels do more than eliminate mismatched pricing and reduce signage waste; they provide several additional benefits in grocery environments.
Proving the ROI of ESLs in Grocery Stores
Proving the value of electronic shelf labels goes beyond the initial installation. Before expanding an ESL rollout, retailers need proof that the technology will provide its intended ROI.
Key areas to focus on include:
- Cost and Savings: Staff spend fewer hours swapping paper tags and conducting price audits, while stores cut back on credits issued for errors. Promotions can be executed in minutes across the floor, with less waste from reprinted signage. With durable and custom-designed ESL holders, grocers also avoid the ongoing cost of broken or lost tags.
- Compliance and Shopper Experience: Digital labels make sure the price shown on the shelf is the same as the one at checkout. Clear placement at ADA-compliant heights gives shoppers confidence in what they are paying and helps lines move faster.
- Reporting Cadence: To capture the full value of ESLs, a structured reporting cadence is essential. Pilots should include a weekly dashboard with defined 30-, 60-, and 90-day decision points. This timeline allows managers to measure ROI, test across multiple departments, and determine the right pace for scaling.
"The real value of ESL deployment shows up when stores track both labor savings and sales lift together. That combination makes the ROI of ESLs hard to ignore." - Amanda Linkevich, Business Development Manager at Kinter
ESL Success Starts at the Shelf Edge (Not the Software)
Electronic labels only perform as well as the fixtures that hold them. The shelf edge determines whether tags stay in place, remain visible, and stand up to daily wear.
A strong grocery store ESL rollout requires several key components to set your selling environment up for success:
- Map your fixtures: Pinpoint the areas of the store that will gain the most from ESL deployment. Items that change price often, sell quickly, or sit in highly visible spots are strong starting points. Stores should also flag “risk zones” such as base decks, endcaps, and cooler aisles, where durable or custom holders are needed to keep labels secure under heavy use.
- Pick the right ESL holder manufacturer: Manufacturers with grocery experience know the unique requirements of the grocery environment, from the refrigerated case to ADA display compliance.
- Don’t forget custom solutions: Some displays are simply the proverbial square peg and round hole scenario. Custom solutions offer a much better option than trying to force the wrong holder to work.
ESL Holder Deployment Considerations
Though ESLs are digital, there’s a lot of hardware involved in a successful deployment. The holders, rails, and mounting hardware are what determine reliable daily ESL performance on your store shelves.
Poorly matched ESL hardware can lead to loose tags, damaged labels, or blocked sightlines that frustrate both staff and shoppers. Careful planning ensures that the hardware fits each type of fixture and can withstand the conditions of every aisle.
Cooler and Freezer Aisles: Display Hardware Designed for Moisture and Impact
Cold aisles present unique challenges for electronic shelf labels. Condensation, temperature swings, and heavy shopper traffic all put extra stress on display hardware. ESL holders designed with hinged features allow for reduced impacts from bumps and adjustable backings make sure that strips are tightly secured onto wire shelf fronts. These designs help protect ESLs from heavy traffic while keeping them accessible for store staff.
Placement plays a key role in protecting ESL hardware. Avoid placing holders in door-sweep zones, since repeated opening and closing can cause damage. On base decks, where carts and stocking tools are likely to hit, protective ESL guards give extra shield against busy shoppers and staff. Planning for these challenges ahead of time helps ESLs perform reliably in one of the store’s most demanding areas.
Small Space ESL Solutions
In narrow grocery aisles or within compact store layouts, space is limited and must be used wisely. Minor hardware adjustments can make these areas more effective.
Choose fixtures that keep pricing visible while avoiding clutter. Low-profile holders, adjustable rails, and secure mounting options allow digital tags to fit naturally into compact displays while still keeping pricing clear. By tailoring ESL hardware to the unique demands of small spaces, grocers can make the most of every shelf edge and maintain a consistent look across the store.
Read more about small space retail display merchandising on our blog.
ESL Procurement and Supply Chain
ESL rollouts should also consider a supply chain that keeps the project on schedule and within the estimated budget. In today’s marketplace, tariffs and shifting global trade policies can affect costs and delivery timelines.
Kinter supports grocery retailers by maintaining a large domestic inventory of stock, stored in our high-inventory domestic warehouses.
Kinter’s inventory of hardware and parts reduces exposure to lead-time swings and ensures stores can roll out ESL projects without delay. With our broad portfolio of grocery store retail display hardware, we help procurement teams secure both standard and custom ESL holders that meet operational needs while protecting the bottom line.
Tariffs are creating instability in the retail display market. Learn more about how we’re helping our customers and navigating this issue on our blog.