According to the company, the Pricer electronic labels enhance the customer experience, streamline work processes, and promote sustainable operations. Spar plans to introduce the technology in its other stores.
“The use of electronic shelf labels is an international trend that points towards modern, sustainable, and customer-centric retail,” says Márk Maczelka, communications manager at Spar Hungary. “Our positive experiences in our first three own-operated stores and the positive feedback from our customers and colleagues have confirmed that we are on the right track,” he adds.
The electronic shelf labels enable real-time price communication, so that current prices and promotions are always displayed on the shelves. The system offers several additional benefits for customers and store employees.
For example, the new labels help stockers with their work by flashing LED signals, offering several color options that make it easier to identify products. If a store is being rearranged, the system automatically tracks the relocation of products, which makes work organization much easier.
The retailer claims that the customer experience has been taken to a new level with the introduction of the near-field communication technology. By touching their smartphone to the label, customers can immediately access a map of the store, which not only shows the exact location of the product in question, but also features a search function, making it easy to find other products in the store.
The system also represents a step forward for Spar stores from an IT perspective. Thanks to Pricer’s optical control technology, fewer control units are required in each store, which makes not only installation but also operation more economical.
Spar’s latest supermarket in Hungary officially opened in Szentendre in April. The investment was worth approximately HUF 3.6 billion and was financed from the company’s own resources. With the help of Szintézis Informatikai Zrt., 13,000 four-color Pricer electronic shelf labels were installed.
All labels are NFC-enabled, allowing shoppers to access the digital store map, which also functions as a product search engine, with a single touch. Effective communication between employees is facilitated by Vocovo headsets, which have been in use since the store opened and were also provided by Szintézis.
“The product search function built into Pricer will save a lot of time and frustration. The Pricer infrastructure works like an in-store GPS. I touch my NFC-enabled phone to the label, the store floor plan opens, I type in what I’m looking for, and it shows me,” says Dávid Szabó, CEO of Szintézis Informatikai Zrt.
Spar Hungary says it remains committed to innovation and sustainability and will continue to strive to support the needs of its customers and the work of its employees with modern technological solutions.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of July 25, 2025.
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For over 30 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
