Supermarket giant unveils major new tool to help shoppers find products quicker

Shoppers at Morrisons will be able to track down an elusive jar of cranberry sauce with the help of a flashing shelf label on their mobile phones.

The supermarket has launched the feature to help customers find products quickly in store.

The system works through the product finder tool on the home page of Morrisons' More Card app, where customers search for items on their phone and select “flash price label”.

The app then shares the in-store location and asks the customer to confirm whether they are in the right aisle.

Once that is done, the corresponding digital shelf label flashes magenta, making it easier for the customer to spot the exact product they want.

Morrisons believes the move is a first in the UK after being widely adopted in the US.

The technology is being rolled out across more than 270 Morrisons stores which have the digital shelf labels installed.

The grocer said the feature was ideal for navigating high-density product aisles like herbs, spices or sauces, as well as locating popular seasonal items such as cranberry sauce.

Morrisons has partnered with Vusion to install the electronic shelf labels, which can also update prices automatically and improve accuracy, it said.

Gordon Macpherson, group productivity director at Morrisons, said: “We know that Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for our customers and we're always looking for new ways to make their shopping experience as easy and convenient as possible.

“Our new ‘shop to light’ feature is a great example of how we’re using technology to make a real difference in-store, helping our customers find the products they need quickly, whether they’re shopping for their Christmas dinner or just popping in to pick up a few last-minute essentials.”

Roy Horgan, UK and Ireland chief executive at Vusion, said: “Technology has a huge role to play in making the shopping journey simpler, faster and more enjoyable for customers.

“‘Shop to light’ is a great example of how we can help customers find what they need while making stores more seamless.”

The launch comes as supermarket prices are now 2.6 per cent higher than a year ago, up from 2.5 per cent last month, according to data from Worldpanel by Numerator.

Sales at Morrisons rose by 2 per cent, slightly ahead of the market, delivering market share of 8.3 per cent.

Tesco and Sainsbury's took a 27.8 per cent and 15.5 per cent share respectively.