Electronic shelf labels are showing up more and more across industry businesses.This technology can already be found in Walmart, Whole Foods and Kroger. Walmart said in March that about 2,300 U.S. stores were already using digital shelf labels and that it expects the technology to reach the rest of its fleet by next year.
This trending expansion makes it clear that it is a smart operational move.
How ESLs Affect Store Operations
Manual shelf tag changes take time, leave room for pricing mistakes, and pull store teams away from other work. On average, retailers are spending about 50 hours a week managing thousands of price changes with paper tags.
Walmart has said digital shelf labels help associates spend less time on manual price changes and support faster stocking and picking. In a high-volume retail environment, saving time adds up quickly.
Electronic shelf labels affect more than day to day store operations. They also have a direct impact on:
- Promotions: Sales and pricing updates can be rolled out much faster.
- Labor: Less time spent changing paper tags by hand.
- Compliance and accuracy: Shelf prices can stay more closely aligned with register prices.
What Makes ESLs Worth It
When it comes to deciding whether digital shelf labels make sense for your business, it helps to look at the day to day issues you are already dealing with. That might include pricing mistakes, inventory that is out of sync, or the time store teams spend manually updating paper tags.
The digital shelf label industry is growing rapidly and will continue to grow and become more common in the future. The global market for the products was estimated at $1.85 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $7.54 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.
How Merchco Supports These Rollouts
Large ESL programs need more than equipment and a schedule. They need organized, store-to-store execution that keeps consistency, timing, and site conditions in view. In active retail environments, that kind of coordination helps make larger rollouts easier to manage and easier to carry across locations.
Planning an electronic shelf label rollout? Connect with Merchco to discuss how stronger execution can support a smoother rollout across locations.