Technology
Shelf intelligence emerging as retail’s strategic priority
November 3, 2025
Shelf intelligence technologies are becoming a top investment priority for retailers aiming to improve inventory accuracy, profitability and customer satisfaction, according to research from IHL Group, conducted with Scandit.
The study, which surveyed more than 400 retailers across grocery, mass merchandise, warehouse, drug and convenience segments in the U.S. and EMEA, found inventory visibility now ranks second only to customer personalization as a technology investment priority. Retailers with profit growth above 10% are investing more than twice as much in inventory visibility solutions as those with lower profits, according to a press release.
"While digital transformation has dominated the retail industry for the last decade, inventory accuracy and shelf availability continue to erode profitability," Greg Buzek, president and chief AI officer at IHL Group, said in the release. "Our new research demonstrates that shelf intelligence technology has matured to a competitive necessity, and retailers who have embraced this shift are breaking away from the pack."
The report revealed that retailers using hybrid data capture methods, such as autonomous robots, fixed cameras and mobile devices are 64% more likely to be early adopters and 136% more likely to maintain profitability leadership.
"Grocers and other retailers are no longer asking whether shelf intelligence works — they're asking how fast they can scale it," Scandit CTO and Co-Founder Christian Floerkemeier said in the release.
AI spending by retailers is projected to increase 29% from 2025 to 2026 as adoption accelerates.
