Kölle Zoo Digitises Store Operations with SOLUM Electronic Shelf Labels

Around 300,000 ESLs rolled out across 28 stores in eight weeks, streamlining price and promotion changes while giving teams more time for advice and service

SEOUL, South Korea, 23 July 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kölle Zoo, one of the leading specialist pet retailers in the German-speaking market, is digitising its store operations with electronic shelf labels from SOLUM. With the introduction of SOLUM Newton ESL, Kölle Zoo has established the foundation for more efficient communication of price and product information at the shelf, while freeing up valuable time for customer advice, service and engagement.

Previously, price changes, promotional labelling and seasonal campaigns involved considerable organisational effort and cost. This was particularly evident during monthly leaflet promotions and campaigns, when store teams had to prepare, distribute, insert, remove and, where necessary, correct large numbers of paper labels. With the digital shelf label solution, price and product information can now be managed centrally and updated within a very short time. This reduces manual work, lowers the risk of errors and ensures that information at the shelf remains up to date.

The rollout covered around 300,000 electronic shelf labels across 28 Kölle Zoo stores and was completed in just eight weeks. In addition to the technology itself, close collaboration between everyone involved and professional execution by the project and software teams at Kölle Zoo and SOLUM were critical to the project's success.

Following the introduction of digital shelf labels, Kölle Zoo reduced the effort required for price changes and promotional updates to a significantly greater extent than originally expected. Depending on the season, campaign and product range, stores may need to implement up to several hundred price changes. Processes that previously required extensive manual coordination can now be managed centrally and efficiently.

The time saved allows store teams to focus more closely on customer-facing activities. This creates additional value for customers, particularly in specialist pet retail, where expert advice plays an important role, and supports the high level of service for which Kölle Zoo is known.

"We were particularly impressed by the exceptional battery life of more than 10 years¹, the very low field failure rate, the award-winning design of SOLUM Newton ESLs and the professional, partnership-based collaboration between all the teams involved," said Michael Dipper, Head of IT at Kölle Zoo. "This enabled us to implement the project quickly, efficiently and to a high standard."

The technical foundation consists of the SOLUM Newton ESL platform, the central Aims management platform and the associated infrastructure. Together, they provide a future-ready digital foundation that supports efficient store operations and enables further steps in Kölle Zoo's digital transformation.

"Kölle Zoo is known for the highest standards of expert advice and customer service in specialist pet retail," said Jochen Goppold, Senior Sales Manager at SOLUM Europe. "We are therefore delighted that our ESL platform has made a measurable contribution to the digitisation of its store operations. The significant reduction in the workload associated with price and promotion changes, together with the additional capacity created for customer service and advice, clearly demonstrates the value that digital technologies can deliver for retailers today."

The collaboration between Kölle Zoo and SOLUM demonstrates that electronic shelf labels are now far more than digital price tags. They are increasingly becoming a strategic platform for the digitisation of store operations. Retailers benefit from greater process efficiency, reduced manual effort and faster implementation of pricing and promotional activities, while employees gain more time for customer advice, service and the overall customer experience.

1 Based on SOLUM internal testing. Actual battery life may vary depending on operating conditions.

About Kölle Zoo

Founded in Stuttgart in 1969, Kölle Zoo is one of the leading specialist pet retailers in German-speaking Europe. True to its claim "Heart & Mind for Animals", the company stands for well-founded advice, species-appropriate care and a genuine passion for pets. Across 28 experience stores in Germany, Austria and Belgium, Kölle Zoo offers a premium pet range for pet owners.

About SOLUM

Founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Samsung Electro-Mechanics, SOLUM is a KOSPI-listed company and a leading provider of power solutions, display technologies and electronic shelf labels (ESL). The company drives innovation across the global retail industry through customer-focused technologies and sustainable business transformation initiatives. Leveraging its expertise in power electronics, SOLUM continues to expand its competitiveness in next-generation mobility and energy infrastructure markets. For more information, visit www.solum-group.com.