WHSmith has partnered with Solum to roll out its electronic shelf label solutions.

WHSmith has partnered with retail technology specialist Solum to roll out electronic shelf label (ESL) solutions across its UK travel retail estate, beginning with its recently opened flagship stores at Heathrow Airport.

The deployment has been introduced at the retailer’s one-stop-shop formats in Heathrow Terminals 3, 4 and 5 and forms part of a wider programme aimed at improving pricing accuracy, shelf-edge communication and operational efficiency across WHSmith’s travel business.

The Heathrow flagship stores represent the latest evolution of WHSmith’s travel retail proposition, bringing together food and drink, health and beauty, technology accessories, pharmacy services and travel essentials within a single format designed for time-pressed passengers.

To support the rollout, WHSmith has selected Solum’s Newton PRO electronic shelf label platform, which is designed for high-traffic environments such as airports and transport hubs. The technology enables pricing and promotional information to be updated remotely, replacing traditional paper shelf labels and helping stores respond more quickly to changing product and promotional requirements.

The move is expected to reduce manual in-store processes while improving consistency across stores and enhancing the shopping experience for travellers.

Heidi Reynolds, Retail Director at WHSmith, said: “At WHSmith, our focus is on making every journey better by bringing together all of the essentials travellers need in one place. As we continue to evolve our offer, the ESL solutions help us support a clearer and more intuitive customer experience while enabling colleagues to operate more efficiently in busy travel environments.”

Mark Duckworth, Country Manager UK & Ireland at Solum, added: “WHSmith’s new flagship stores reflect the continued evolution of travel retail, where convenience, speed and clarity are essential to the customer journey.

“We are proud to support WHSmith with ESL solutions designed for high-footfall environments, helping improve shelf-edge accuracy, operational efficiency and the in-store experience across key travel locations. This partnership is an important milestone for SOLUM as we continue to strengthen our presence in the UK travel retail market.”

The rollout highlights the increasing adoption of digital retail technologies within airport environments as operators look to improve efficiency while delivering clearer and more responsive communication for travellers.

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