United Natural Foods to Offer Retailers Innovative Smart Shelf Tags to Better Engage Consumers, Improve Product Transparency, and Help Drive Purchase Decisions

United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) (“UNFI”) today announced a new agreement with Cornerstone for Natural to bring their Smart Shelf Tag program to UNFI’s suppliers and retailers. Smart Shelf Tags contain ELi QR Codes, an enhanced, more secure version of a QR code, which can be scanned to provide shoppers with additional product information and rich digital content on their mobile phones without requiring an app. Smart Shelf Tags are an innovative and versatile program for suppliers and retailers to engage and educate consumers while they’re shopping in-store.

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Offering innovative solutions that leverage technology and help optimize grocery retail businesses is a core part of UNFI’s strategy and the company’s agreement with Cornerstone for Natural will bring Cornerstone’s Smart Shelf Tag program to UNFI’s suppliers and retailers. These Smart Shelf Tags contain ELi QR Codes, an enhanced, more secure version of a QR code, which can be scanned to provide shoppers with additional product information and rich digital content on their mobile phones without requiring an app. (Photo: Business Wire)

As consumer demand for product information and insights grows, UNFI is working to increase access to additional information and provide product transparency on the shelf. Because most in-store shoppers consult their mobile phones about products, these Smart Shelf Tags are designed to engage shoppers with targeted content direct from suppliers while they’re physically shopping in the grocery aisle. In addition, the tags increase product transparency, create a touchpoint between suppliers and shoppers, and can help grocery retailers build consumer loyalty and trust.

While the ELi QR Codes used on Smart Shelf Tags look like familiar QR codes, they are more secure. They not only provide a scannable code, they also incorporate the back-end content to which users are directed. The content for an ELi QR Code is sourced from the supplier, automatically populates for each individual UPC, and may include promotional offers, nutrition and allergen information, testimonials, traceability information, brand stories, videos, and images. Retailers never have to source, manage, or update content and the codes are automatically printed on the tags. Cornerstone has built over 120,000 ELi QR Codes, thousands from prominent consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands and new and emerging brands alike.