Meijer Offers In-Store Digital Platform for Pet Products at 200 Grocery Stores

Meijer has rolled out a next-generation in-store product engagement platform from Perch and Purina at 200 of the Midwest retailer’s stores. The interactive end caps in the pet section seamlessly incorporate a digital screen that automatically senses the products that shoppers touch and responds with videos and information about that product — without users having to scan a QR code, touch a screen, download an app or take any additional action. Employing Perch’s “lift-and-learn” technology, customers can get more information about Purina products to help them find the right items for their pets just by touching them, as though they had clicked on them online.

The installation marks the largest lift-and-learn deployment of Perch-powered displays in grocery, according to the company.

“We are excited to have a storytelling platform in the pet category that communicates Purina’s expertise and commitment to providing the leading products that keep pets safe, happy and healthy,” noted Kenneth Endermuhle, Purina’s manager of category experience design. “With Perch, we can deliver the right product message at the right time, at the point of consideration, so that Purina can stand out where the majority of shoppers purchase pet products — in-store.”

Able to update the displays’ digital messaging, Purina is starting off the deployment with information on the Purina ONE 28-Day Challenge, showing pet owners the difference that Purina ONE products can make for their pets in that amount of time. The messaging includes product category information and mobile integration into an augmented-reality experience.

Perch’s digital engagement platform employs computer vision to detect product behavior at the shelf, anonymously detecting the presence of shoppers, the products that they touch and what content they engage with to bring in videos, ratings and reviews, and product information for every product on the shelf, uniting shoppers’ desired digital content with the physical products on retailers’ shelves.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with Purina, a recognized innovator in the pet category,” said Trevor Sumner, CEO of New York-based Perch. “With Purina’s partnership, Perch now provides the most advanced in-store technology to help pet shoppers discover products and connect more deeply with the brands they love. We live in the most exciting era of retail where technology and shopper marketing behavioral data are unlocking new ways for brands and retailers to collaborate and rapidly improve shopper experiences.” 

St. Louis-based Nestlé Purina PetCare manufactures such well-known products as Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer operates more than 255 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The company is No. 18 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.