Co-op to Add Digital Screens in More Stores
Co-op Media Network (CMN) will install 300 front-of-store digital media screens at its busiest, urban locations through January 2025 to “turbo-charge” its retail media offerings. The addition increases the British retailer’s total number of screens across its stores to more than 9,000, according to an Oct. 15 media release.
In January, Co-op debuted its retailer media network, developed in partnership with its long-term agency partner Threefold, which is owned by London-based retail media agency SMG (Shopper Media Group).
The new digital screens — including Co-op’s current kiosk and customer-facing screens at manned tills — will roll out to stores with the “highest footfall,” including Greater London (12%), Greater Manchester (5%) and North Yorkshire (2.5%), with 24 stores planned to go live each week until January 2025. Assisting with the rollout is installation partner Commercial and software partner Grassfish.
The retailer encourages brands to work with CMN on their in-store campaigns, focusing on key missions such as food-to-go, food-for-later and treat occasions.
The screens will be placed at store entrances, in the foyers or at outward-facing windows close to the entrance. Situated in busy urban areas and embedded into local communities, these in-store retail media touchpoints will be visible not only to store visitors, but also to passers-by. This can expand reach and influence purchasing decisions at the start of the shopper journey, while also building brand awareness among passers-by who do not enter the store.
[Also Read: ‘The Store Is Now a Stage’: The Emergence of In-Store Retail Media]
“The digital screen roll out has been designed to utilize Co-op's superpower as a media owner,” Matt Hood, managing director of Co-op Food, said in the release. “With a store in every postal code area, we’re primed to deliver on reach and our high frequency of shoppers ensures that brands gain maximum visibility.”
This latest move also expands CMN’s digital capabilities and enables FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) brands to deepen their engagement across Co-op’s convenience stores, which see over 16 million transactions each week, per the company.
“With more than 90% of grocery purchases still happening in-store, we are seeing a huge wave of digitization across retailer store estates,” added Lee LeFeuvre, chief commercial officer at SMG. “We're proud to see Co-op are at the forefront of this movement in the convenience sector. For brands, Co-op’s investment in digital screens is significant. It offers the opportunity to connect with Co-op customers throughout the shopper journey, as well as at the point of purchase through dynamic, personalized and creative content that is proven to drive action.”