ECR Europe challenges retailers to innovate

Innovation and staff development are the key themes in the 11th ECR Europe Conference which opened today in Stockholm, Sweden. Key industry leaders threw the challenge as they stressed the gains that effective ECR (Efficient Consumer Response) practices could bring if companies successfully implement their ECR strategies.

Saying that ECR is not a "one-shot exercise" but a work in progress, ECR Europe Co-chair Dr. Hans-Joachim Korber said that innovation and implementation are the cornerstones to achieve successful ECR. "Innovation also means new things, new processes and new services," Korber told the conference delegates. Organisers also highlighted the People Development forum, the latest ECR Europe project that aims to attain collaborative relationships in managing people effectiveness to reach a company's targets."Because people are key to ECR implementation, we are highlighting this with a new addition to the Conference programme," said Korber. ECR Europe research shows that the European grocery industry has the potential to generate a 28 billion euro benefit in cost and inventory reduction if ECR practices are fully adopted.

According to ECR Europe 3.6 per cent of consumer sales value since 1995 has been saved through successful ECR implemention across Europe. Research also shows that today's top tier ECR adopters enjoy a six per cent better service levels, five per cent higher on shelf availability and 10 days lower finished goods inventories than low or non adopters of ECR practices.