SES-imagotag, (Euronext: SESL, FR0010282822), the global leader in digital solutions for physical commerce, and HowGood, the leading provider of sustainability intelligence for food companies, today announced a new partnership to empower consumers with transparent and trustworthy product information delivered in stores, at the shelf-edge.
The partnership will enable shoppers to access reliable and transparent data on over 2 million products directly on smart digital displays in stores, thanks to SES-imagotag’s VUSION IoT Cloud platform, which connects retailers, brands and consumers. The data, provided by HowGood’s in-depth, ingredient-level insights ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to water usage to labor risk, will help consumers make more informed and conscious choices. The digital displays will be available globally this fall.
Through HowGood’s sustainability attributes, consumers can select products that use less water than average in their production (Water Smart), have lower greenhouse gas emissions than average (Climate Friendly), have a simple formula with seven or fewer ingredients (Clean Label), made with ingredients that are not dependent on commercial or industrial processing (Minimally Processed), contain ingredients that minimize the use of petroleum-based herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals (Low Synthetic Inputs), or respect workers’ rights and dignity (Fair Labor). These labels, among others, will be displayed in stores on electronic shelf labels, TVs, shelf-edge video displays, etc. along with product price and other key information.
Today, consumers prioritize sustainable products and seek greater transparency across the board. According to NielsenIQ, 72% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products claiming to be sustainable. Research suggests that consumers feel empowered to shop sustainably and respond positively to brands that demonstrate healthy products for both the consumer and the environment.
This innovative solution will benefit retailers and brands that are committed to sustainability by driving revenue and loyalty from consumers who care about the environmental and social impact of their purchases. The solution will also help retailers and brands promote their sustainability performance with data-backed product claims.
The collaboration between SES-imagotag and HowGood has already demonstrated success in their pilot store in the UK at Kavanagh’s Budgens Belsize Park. Using integrated SES Pulse analytics software, the store measured an average increase of 25.8% across all products labeled with HowGood attributes. While all attributes contributed to upsells, products labeled with “Fair Labor” showed the most significant increases of 45.1% on average. The positive impact goes beyond initial results for individual products, promoting the image of Kavanagh’s as a sustainable and ethically-conscious store that meets the growing demands of consumers for sustainability.
“We are delighted to partner with SES-imagotag to incorporate our sustainability data into a modern solution for retailers looking to capture the quickly emerging market of eco-conscious consumers. The global retail landscape is changing, and this partnership will enable forward-thinking retailers to clearly communicate their value to customers, remain dynamic in their in-store marketing, and drive revenue while having a very significant and meaningful impact on the planet.” – Alexander Gillett, Co-Founder & CEO at HowGood
“We are very excited to partner with HowGood, a pioneer and leader in sustainability intelligence for food companies. Together, we can offer a unique value proposition to our customers and consumers, by delivering real-time and trustworthy sustainability information at the shelf-edge, where most purchase decisions are made. This partnership is aligned with our vision of creating a more sustainable and positive commerce, where physical stores become digital assets that can provide better services and experiences to shoppers.” – Roy Horgan, SEVP Strategy, Marketing & Communications at SES-imagotag
About SES-imagotag and the VUSION Retail IoT platform
SES-imagotag is a world leader in smart digital labels and IoT solutions for physical retail, serving over 350 large retailer groups around the world in Europe, Asia, and North America.
SES-imagotag has developed the VUSION Retail IOT technology platform to help retailers transform their physical stores into high value digital assets, more automated, data-driven, and connected in real-time to suppliers and consumers. VUSION improves the agility, precision, and accuracy of prices, whilst ensuring the omnichannel synchronization of prices, product information and marketing campaigns. The platform developed by SES-imagotag also optimizes in-store order preparation and restocking.
VUSION improves employee satisfaction by freeing up time from cumbersome low value-added tasks and allowing them to focus on customer service and merchandizing tasks. VUSION connects shelves to the Cloud, providing real-time accurate information on product availability and location, allowing for reduced inventory, out-of-stock, and waste, as well as improved on-shelf availability and merchandizing compliance. VUSION empowers consumers with better product, nutritional and traceability information at the shelf and enables a frictionless in-store shopping experience with features such as product search, pathfinding and cashier-less scan & pay features.
SES-imagotag supports the United Nations’ Global Compact initiative and has received in 2022 the Platinum Sustainability Rating from EcoVadis, the world’s reference of business sustainability ratings.
SES-imagotag is listed in compartment A of the Euronext™ Paris exchange and part of the SBF120 Index.
About HowGood
HowGood is an independent research company with the world’s largest database on food product sustainability. With data and analysis for more than 33,000 ingredients, chemicals, and materials, HowGood helps leading food brands, retailers, suppliers, and food service providers improve their environmental and social impact. Through in-depth, ingredient-level insights on factors ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to animal welfare to labor risk, HowGood data powers strategic decision-making for the sourcing, manufacturing, merchandising, and marketing of sustainable food products. By leveraging HowGood’s data and expertise, food companies are able to identify opportunities to improve their impact, drive greater transparency, and empower their customers to make more sustainable purchases.