Waitrose has installed 1,000 Zebra 220 Plus printers to help improve its stock efficiency and reduce waste. The deal – the largest single implementation of mobile printing of its kind – was set up and installed by auto ID specialist Zetes.
The printers produce price labels and barcodes for any stock that needs to be reduced, which helps improve checkout productivity and minimise unsold food. Using real-time information, the technology calculates reductions based on product demand and shelf-life. The system provides users with a list of unsold reduced items, which may need further price markdowns.
Waitrose also plans to use Zebra printers to produce temporary shelf-edge tickets in the future.
Under the contract Zetes will provide onsite support for the Zebra printers as part of a ZetesCare service and support package.
Nick Hart, project manager, branch ordering development, Waitrose, said: “In addition to helping our branches minimise unsold food, this system has also enabled us to record increased data for further improved accuracy in future ordering, so we’re pleased with the initial results.”
