The Co-op Group is to fit 300 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.
The move is led by the Group’s Co-op Media Network, launched in January to “help brands reach new and wider audiences, while improving advertising relevancy for its shoppers”.
With the network launch, the Group brought together its in-house team and long-term agency partner Threefold under one recognisable brand identity.
Now, In partnership with independent retail media operator SMG, the network plans to expand its digital capabilities. It hopes this will enable brands to deepen their engagement across Co-op’s frequently shopped convenience stores, which see over 16 million transactions each week.
The rollout – in collaboration with installation partners, Commercial, and software partners, Grassfish – 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 front-of-store media touch points will take the total number of digital screens across the Group’s 2,400 stores to over 9,300 – including its current kiosk and customer-facing screens at manned tills. The retailer says will offer brands the chance to work with the network on their in-store campaigns, focusing on key missions such as food-to-go, food-for-later and treat occasions.
Matt Hood, managing director of Co-op Food, said: “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.”
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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, they will be visible to store visitors and passers-by, which the Group says will offer added value and exposure for advertisers.
“The digital screen roll out has been designed to utilise Co-op’s superpower as a media owner,” added Hood, “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. Our investment into digital screens solidifies Co-op Media Network’s position as the UK’s largest and leading media owner in the convenience sector.”
Lee LeFeuvre, chief commercial officer at SMG, said: “With more than 90% 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.”
Simone Hindmarch, co-founder and managing director of Commercial, said: “One of our mantras as a company is to help the best businesses to become better, and this partnership with the Co-op Media Network is the embodiment of that. The retail world is evolving at a rapid pace, and we are proud to be working alongside one of the leading names in the retail sector to provide a rich and interactive digital environment, which increases footfall, increases revenue and enhances customer loyalty.”
