Laurels Service Station is a SPAR store with 1,500 electronic shelf labels (ESLs) across the shop floor. ShelfTalker worked with Madic Systems, the store’s EPOS provider, to create a digital shelf-edge solution that retained the recognisable SPAR identity while giving Laurels greater flexibility over how it presented promotions, meal deals and **local produce**.
The move to ESLs gave the store the opportunity to move away from more limited shelf-edge displays and make better use of the product and promotional information already held within its EPOS system. But for Laurels, simply putting digital labels on the shelves was not enough. The store wanted its ESLs to feel like part of the SPAR brand, while still reflecting what made Laurels different.
“The SPAR brand is strong, but moving to ESLs had somehow diluted some of that familiarity and impact for the customer. We wanted a solution that still felt genuinely on brand rather than something that looked like a standard digital label.”
Laurels Service Station
The Challenge
SPAR is a familiar and recognisable brand, and Laurels wanted to make sure that identity remained just as strong on its digital shelf edge.
Moving to ESLs presented a potential problem. A standard, off-the-shelf approach could provide digital pricing, but it would not necessarily give Laurels the branded, promotional look it wanted. With 1,500 labels across the store, the solution needed to be practical to manage while also making the shelf edge feel consistent, professional and recognisably SPAR.
The store also wanted to make better use of the information already held within its EPOS system. Meal deals were a particular priority. Rather than relying on a generic message, Laurels wanted customers to be able to see the individual elements that made up an offer, making the promotion clearer at the point of purchase.
There was another challenge too. Laurels wanted to give its local produce its own identity. The store needed a way to promote local products that felt less corporate and more connected to the area. A standard SPAR template would not achieve that, so Laurels needed something bespoke that could sit comfortably alongside its wider branded messaging.
“Working closely with ShelfTalker, we now have templates for our SPAR promotions and meal deals, and we can make much better use of the information coming through our EPOS system. We’ve also been able to develop our local produce offering with a chalkboard effect and Lincolnshire flag, which gives those displays a much more authentic local feel.”
Laurels Service Station
The Solution
ShelfTalker worked closely with Laurels and Madic Systems to create a suite of templates designed specifically around the store’s requirements.
The templates retained the **SPAR branding** while giving Laurels more flexibility over how its promotions appeared on the shelf. Product and promotional information supplied through the EPOS system could be incorporated into the ESL displays, meaning the store could make better use of information it was already managing.
For meal deals, ShelfTalker created templates that could display the individual elements of an offer. The main item, snack and drink could each be represented within the display, giving customers a **clearer understanding** of what was included rather than presenting the promotion as a single generic message.
This also meant the digital shelf edge could respond to changes in the underlying product information, making the displays easier to manage and keeping promotional information more closely aligned with what was actually being offered in store.
The result was a solution that combined the practical benefits of ESLs with a much more considered visual approach.
“ShelfTalker has really brought the labels to life. We have the flexibility of ESLs without losing the character of the store, and the support throughout the project has been fantastic.”
Laurels Service Station
Bringing Local Produce to Life
For Laurels, the ability to create something bespoke was just as important as the core SPAR templates.
ShelfTalker developed dedicated designs for the store’s 7.5-inch and 2-inch ESLs, using a traditional chalkboard style to give its local produce displays a more personal and handcrafted feel.
The designs also incorporated a Lincolnshire flag, reinforcing the local connection and helping the displays stand apart from standard promotional messaging.
Rather than looking like another generic digital promotion, the finished templates give Laurels a way to communicate the local character of its produce through the shelf edge itself.
This was an important part of the project. The ESLs did not have to mean losing the personality of the store. Instead, the ESL software gave Laurels the flexibility to create displays that reflected both the SPAR brand and its own local identity.
The Result
Laurels Service Station now has 1,500 ESLs managed through ShelfTalkers ESL software, with a suite of SPAR-branded templates alongside bespoke designs created specifically for the store.
The transition has given Laurels greater control over its shelf-edge messaging, making it easier to present promotions and meal deals in a clear, consistent format while making better use of the information already held within its EPOS system.
Just as importantly, the store has been able to retain the familiarity of the SPAR brand without being restricted to generic digital displays. Bespoke templates allow Laurels to bring its own identity into the shelf edge, particularly when promoting local produce.
The result is a digital shelf edge that feels less like a compromise and more like an extension of the store itself: branded where it needs to be, bespoke where it matters, and easier to manage across 1,500 ESLs.
