The Co-op said it will install 300 new front-of-store digital media screens to turbo-charge its retail media offering, taking the total number of screens to over 9,000 across its store estate.
In partnership with SMG – the UK’s leading independent retail media operator – the move will expand the Co-op Media Network’s (CMN) digital capabilities and enable FMCG brands to deepen their engagement across Co-op’s convenience stores.
The rollout will see digital screens introduced to 300 of Co-op’s highest footfall, urban locations, including Greater London (12%), Greater Manchester (5%) and North Yorkshire (2.5%), with 24 stores planned to go live each week until January 2025.
These new front-of-store media touch points will take the total number of digital screens across Co-op’s 2,400 stores to over 9,300 – including its current kiosk and customer facing screens at manned tills – providing multiple opportunities for 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.
“We’re the experts in convenience, and given our unparalleled shopper footfall, we want brands that invest with us to realise that retail media spend in Co-op stores can yield significant results that can importantly be measured, with a consistent return on investment across the board,” Matt Hood, managing director of Co-op Food, said.
The screens will be placed either at the entrance to the store, in the store foyer, or an outward-facing window close to the entrance. Situated in busy urban areas and embedded into local communities, these screens will be visible not only to store visitors but also to the significant number of passers-by, offering added value and exposure for advertisers.
Recent research by Co-op, which has launched of the UK’s first retail media network in the convenience sector earlier this year, revealed that the service not only boosts sales in their stores, but also in surrounding grocery stores of up to fourfold the original sales conversion.
Lee LeFeuvre, chief commercial officer, at SMG said: “With more than 90 per cent of grocery purchases still happening in-store, we are seeing a huge wave of digitisation across retailer store estates. 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, personalised and creative content that is proven to drive action.”
