Electronic Shelf‑Edge Labels (ESLs) have rapidly moved from “innovation” to “infrastructure”. What began with cautious pilots across Europe is now a full‑scale shift in the UK retail landscape, driven by margin pressure, labour shortages, and a renewed focus on operational efficiency. But while most conversations fixate on the labels themselves, the real determinant of ESL success lies in the technology infrastructure behind the scenes—the cabling, Wi‑Fi, IoT hardware and support that keeps every label accurate, every minute of the trading day.
As we move through 2026, one thing is obvious: ESLs are only as strong as the network you connect them to.
ESL’s Are Now Core to Retail Success
According to industry analysis, major European and UK retailers have shifted ESL investment from experimental budgets to core operational planning. With dynamic pricing now an expected part of retail execution, ESLs give businesses the ability to update thousands of prices instantly, maintain consistency across regional formats, and eliminate the human error associated with manual ticketing.
This is not a superficial upgrade. It is a strategic pivot towards real‑time store operations, and it requires the same rigour retailers apply to POS, SCO, or network transformation projects.
The UK market, in particular, is catching up fast. According to deployment data across the sector, supermarkets and convenience retailers are exploring or scaling ESL programmes aggressively, driven by the need to improve price integrity and reduce repetitive in‑store tasks.
Who’s Deploying ESLs in the UK?
Across the UK, Tier‑1 grocery and convenience retailers are rapidly adopting ESLs, with Tesco expanding trials, Sainsbury’s conducting store pilots, Co‑op rolling out labels across more than 2,400 stores, Aldi and Lidl already equipping all UK stores with digital labels, and more retailers to follow suit. Estimates indicate the total UK market potential may exceed 100 million labels over the coming years – underscoring one simple truth: a store’s network and IoT infrastructure must be engineered correctly from day one to ensure ESL success at scale.
Where ESL Projects Fail: It’s Not the Labels – It’s the Infrastructure
The difference between a successful ESL deployment and an underperforming one usually has little to do with the labels themselves. It comes down to the fundamentals.
- Structured Cabling — the Invisible Weak Link
According to field engineering findings across UK estates, a significant proportion of ESL issues are caused by poor‑quality cabling installed years earlier. Common issues include:
- Incorrect terminations reducing throughput
- Mixed cabling standards across a single store
- Overheated, unventilated cabinets
- Ports with no labelling, making fault‑finding slow and costly
These aren’t glamorous problems, but they define whether ESL data reaches the shelf edge reliably.
- Wi‑Fi, IoT Cards and Access Points
ESLs rely on stable IoT connectivity. According to retailers undertaking national ESL and IoT upgrades, many of their older stores lack the correct AP layout or IoT capability to support dense ESL estates.
This is why surveys now incorporate:
- Radio signal strength testing (RSSI)
- IoT gateway positioning
- Upgraded or additional Access Points
- Re‑engineered Wi‑Fi layouts
- End‑to‑end network validation before labels are mounted
It isn’t about the labels. It’s about the path the data takes to reach them.
- The IoT Gateway — A Single Point of Failure
According to rollout documentation used by several UK retailers, ESL gateways need correct placement, configuration and integration with enterprise Wi‑Fi infrastructure. A single misconfigured gateway can cause widespread label failures across an entire store.
The recurring pattern is clear: where retailers invest correctly in IoT architecture, ESLs perform flawlessly. Where they don’t, the same labels become unreliable.
- Lifecycle, RMA and Ongoing Maintenance
ESLs require a structured after‑care program:
- Regular collections of damaged labels
- Battery lifecycle management
- RMA/repair services
- Ongoing updates and monitoring
Stores that plan for this enjoy consistent accuracy. Stores that ignore it see performance degrade over time.
What Retailers Gain When Infrastructure Is Right
When the foundation is engineered properly, ESLs deliver:
- Reduced Labour Demand
According to operational data from retailers using ESLs at scale, automating price changes frees thousands of colleague hours annually. Staff can be redeployed to customer service, replenishment and loss‑prevention tasks.
- Improved Price Accuracy
Real‑time central control means updates are instant and consistent. Customers trust the pricing, checkout disputes disappear, and compliance risks fall significantly.
- Faster, Smarter Promotions
Dynamic pricing enables:
- Rapid reductions on short‑life products
- Localised pricing strategies
- Hour‑by‑hour campaign adjustments
All of this is impossible with paper tickets.
- Better Customer Experience
According to feedback gathered during recent rollouts, shoppers report clearer pricing, fewer errors and a cleaner, more modern shelf edge. Some retailers noted that the vast majority of customers didn’t even realise labels had changed to digital—proof that the transition can be seamless when executed well.
The Reality for 2026: ESLs Are Infrastructure, Not Labels
The lesson retailers are learning in 2026 is simple: ESLs don’t fail individually; they fail as a system.
The crucial questions are no longer:
- Which label vendor should we choose?
- How fast can we install them?
They are now:
- Is our store network engineered to support ESL at scale?
- Is our Wi‑Fi design robust enough?
- Are our IoT gateways positioned correctly?
- Is our cabling good enough to carry the traffic?
- Do we have a lifecycle plan, not just a deployment plan?
This shift in mindset separates retailers who see rapid ROI from those who inherit avoidable technical debt.
Make Sure Your Store Network Is ESL‑Ready
If you’re planning to deploy ESLs – or you’re already experiencing issues with an early rollout – your network, cabling and Wi‑Fi infrastructure will determine your success.
Vista delivers:
- Full store surveys and network assessments
- Structured cabling installation by certified specialists
- IoT gateway and Access Point deployment
- Nationwide ESL installation teams
- End‑to‑end support, service desk, onsite engineering, repairs and lifecycle management
Reach out to one of our experts today: consulting@vistasupport.com / 0330 135 579
Find out more about our other services here!