Roy Horgan, Group SEVP Strategy, Marketing & Communications, Vusion Group

In retail, success has always hinged on connection — between shoppers and products, between brands and stores, and crucially, between people. But with store teams under pressure and consumer expectations rising, the question is no longer whether to digitize — but how to do it in a way that empowers associates, enhances experiences, and builds more resilient businesses. The answer lies in connected, AI-driven store technologies that combine intelligence, automation and real-time insight — not to replace the human element, but to enhance it.

Positive Commerce in Action Today

VusionGroup’s suite of connected store technologies is enabling retailers to turn ambition into reality. From digital shelf systems to AI assistants, these tools are driving meaningful results — delivering operational efficiency, sharper decision-making, and better outcomes across the board. Smart ESLs eliminate the need for paper-based pricing, updating thousands of tags in seconds. Retail media solutions help turn foot traffic into financial uptick, whilst delivering engaging and responsive digital campaigns. Connected devices and shelf monitoring detect out-of-stock or misplaced products before they impact availability or create waste. And when deployed together, these technologies drive positive commerce — creating efficiency for business, ease of use for associates, and seamless experiences for consumers.

The Power of AI

Implementing AI into these technologies will amplify their impacts for positive commerce. Retailers using VusionLive — VusionGroup’s latest connected store solution— have recorded more than 12% volume growth compared to the same period last year. Sales performance outpaced equivalent benchmarks by a factor of seven, driven by better assortment planning, smarter in-store execution, and sharper use of real-time data. It’s not just about what’s sold — it’s how it's sold. With AI-driven markdown automation and expiry-date alerts, stores can act fast to reduce food waste and recover value from soon-to-expire products. These efforts also result in significantly reduced emissions and improved sustainability, with stores saving approximately one ton of CO2 equivalent per month.

Happier Associates

A connected store isn’t just efficient — it’s transformative. Updating prices in-store, once a two-day task, now takes just minutes with digital shelf labels. Data-driven insights can seamlessly direct associates to their next task, meaning they know exactly where to focus their time — be it restocking, picking, or helping shoppers. With shelf lights and guided alerts, associates are also guided in-store to where they need to be, saving time and energy wondering through aisles.

The connected store helps eliminate common associate errors by reducing discrepancies at the source. By implementing VusionGroup’s Retail Intelligence software and electronic shelf labels, Pricewatch Group unified store data across all locations, enabling real-time insights and agile price automation. The result: fully synchronised pricing across channels, fewer errors, and increased shopper satisfaction.

Greater efficiency reduces stress levels for associates who can also focus their energy on human-led customer service. The importance of this should not be understated – physical stores play an important role in the social well-being of our communities, acting as a social hub and point of human contact.

Happier Consumers

Retail is still, and always will be, about people. Empowered associates deliver better service. Better service builds trust. And trust keeps consumers coming back. When technology supports store teams, the result is not just better stores — but better experiences for everyone who walks through the door.

Global retailers are recognising this win-win application and are leading the way. Walmart is rolling out digital solutions in-store across its 4,600-store network and is already sharing the ways it is improving the day-to-day experience of its associates. AI-powered systems are now a staple in supermarket chains across Europe.

A human-centered future for Retail

The retailers embracing connected store technology today are setting the pace for tomorrow. They’re not just digitising — they’re humanising. By investing in solutions that reduce waste, cut complexity, and support people, they’re building more agile, sustainable and profitable businesses. By utilising AI to enhance human workflows and bolster connectivity, these technologies are fundamentally transforming workspaces. All while keeping humans — associates and consumers alike — at the very heart of the store.