Canadian grocer Sobeys to invest $51M in electronic shelf labels
A leading Canadian supermarket chain is upgrading how it notifies customers of prices at the shelf.
Sobeys is partnering with JRTech Solutions to deploy the latest electronic shelf label technology and Pricer Plaza cloud-based platform from digital shelf-edge solutions provider Pricer AB across an estimated 300-350 stores.
The rollout will include multicolor electronic shelf labels and the necessary store infrastructure, with a total hardware and infrastructure value of approximately $51 million, excluding the Pricer Plaza platform. The deployment is scheduled to occur during an 18-month period starting in May 2026 and builds on an existing collaboration between Sobeys and Pricer.
"After years of close collaboration and shared success, we're proud to grow our partnership with Sobeys even further with an expanded rollout," said Diego Mazzone, president and CEO of JRTech Solutions. "That momentum is driven by our ability to consistently deliver reliable, high-quality solutions in complex retail environments. Together, we are positioning our digital smart labels at the heart of a broader digital transformation, driving operational excellence, unlocking real-time intelligence, and creating meaningful value for both Sobeys and their customers."
Discount giant Walmart is also leveraging electronic shelf labels in its stores in an efforts to ensure products always display a clear, accurate price. Currently, roughly 2,300 of Walmart’s approximately 5,200 U.S. locations are already using digital shelf labels.
[READ MORE: Walmart plans chainwide rollout of digital shelf labels]
The retailer expects the technology, which allows the chain to easily update product prices and eliminates paper tags, to be implemented across all its U.S. stores within the next year.
"We are very grateful for the trust and that Sobeys has once again chosen Pricer as its long-term strategic partner," said Mats Arnehall, chief growth officer at Pricer. "This deal confirms our leading position in the North American market and the value of our high-performance system in high-density retail environments. Our scalable cloud platform, Pricer Plaza, will be the intelligence behind every label, enabling Sobeys to act faster and work smarter."
Sobeys is a banner of Canadian grocery conglomerate Empire Company Ltd., which also operates supermarket brands including FreshCo, FarmBoy and Longo’s.
