New Pricer research reveals on-shelf execution is now the UK’s biggest loyalty driver
UK supermarkets are losing loyalty and sales at the shelf edge, with new research from Pricer, a leading global retail technology company, showing that stockouts and poor on-shelf execution are now among the most powerful drivers of shopper behaviour.
Polling more than 1,000 UK grocery shoppers, an average of 16% of desired items are unavailable in-store. Two-thirds (67%) say they are more loyal to stores with well-stocked shelves, while 58% actively avoid retailers that are regularly out of stock. Four in ten shoppers (42%) sometimes leave the store without buying anything because they cannot find what they came for.
The findings show that availability failures are particularly damaging among younger and high-income shoppers. Among households earning over £125,000, more than two-thirds (68%) sometimes abandon their shop due to stockouts and over eight in ten say they are more loyal to well-stocked stores and avoid retailers that frequently run out of core items.
“Empty shelves are a loyalty and profit killer,” said Finn Wikander, Global CPO at Pricer. “Shoppers will forgive a less flashy store, but they will not forgive being unable to complete their shop. The data is clear: retailers win loyalty by fixing real-time availability at the shelf-edge.”
When asked what would improve the shelf-edge experience, the number one answer was technology that alerts staff when shelves are empty (46%). When shoppers were shown a list of potential in-store technologies, this same feature rose to the top again, with 53% saying shelf-empty alerts would be the most helpful form of smart in-store tech.
Expectations are also higher than ever as 86% of shoppers say they expect core grocery items to be available every time they visit. At the same time, 61% believe there are fewer staff in-store than a year ago, and half (50%) say this decline is negatively affecting their experience. When asked how to improve productivity, shoppers put better workforce management systems first (55%), followed by smart shelf technology (34%), underlining the need to connect digital tools directly to on-shelf availability and staff efficiency.
The research highlights how modern Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) and digital shelf-edge solutions can address these tensions. Camera systems trigger real-time alerts when shelves are empty and link directly into workforce management systems to enable staff, using ESL pick-by-light technology, to replenish rapidly and efficiently.
Shoppers are also asking for richer, more reliable information at the shelf. Over half (53%) want more product details beyond price and 55% say they are more likely to buy when information is easy to find. Almost four in ten (39%) have avoided buying because they could not find enough information, while half (50%) are frustrated when in-store information does not match what they see online.
Appetite for digital shelf features is strongest among younger and more affluent shoppers. Over half of all shoppers (52%) want real-time price comparisons at the shelf, rising to more than 80% among households earning over £125,000. One in four (25%) already say they would like electronic shelf labels with live pricing, with interest rising sharply among 18-34-year-olds and higher-income groups. Shoppers also show growing demand for digital signage, recipe guidance, and sustainability information at the shelf edge, particularly in affluent catchments.
“Retailers are operating in a two-speed market,” added Wikander. Price-pressured shoppers simply need shelves to be full and prices to be clear. Affluent, digitally savvy shoppers demand even more – real-time availability, transparent pricing, richer product information and seamless alignment with what they see online. Electronic Shelf Labels give retailers a single, scalable way to deliver all of that at the shelf-edge.”
The study suggests a clear roadmap for retailers looking to protect loyalty in a cost-pressured, labour-constrained market. Ultimately, the research shows that on-shelf execution has become the crucial battleground for loyalty. Retailers that invest in real-time, ESL-powered availability and information can protect both revenue and reputation, while those that rely on manual processes and patchy data risk watching their customers seek out a competitor.
