In 10 years, all retail chains will have either deployed or initiated large-scale plans. Mechanization thus intersects with the challenges of the sector in search of productivity and optimization of its logistics processes while improving safety and working conditions.

With the evolution of employment pools and regulations in force, the innovation of equipment manufacturers including financial engineering, the degree of mutualization among distributors, and the implementation of standards and norms with their suppliers, dictate the pace of mechanization of retail distribution warehouses.

To accompany the changes induced in logistics chains, ECR France and its members have simultaneously initiated a reflection on the potential of connected objects in optimizing processes up to the points of sale.

"10 projects have been identified in the FMCG sector, three of which will be tested in real conditions as early as 2016."

The first project aims to objectify the relationships between suppliers, service providers, and distributors, with the aim of optimizing warehouse reception performance.

Dedicated to the localization and tracking of trolleys, the second project will analyze their movements in relation to a given warehouse configuration to improve organization.

Already experimented with industrial laundry by linking linen with their rolls, the third project concerns the localization of handling supports in an open circuit. This test will attempt to identify the gains in service quality and productivity achieved through precise traceability and monitoring.

Spotlight on the ten projects:

Optimizing real-time transport operations

Objectifying Supplier/Service Provider/Distributor Relationships

Improving performance through operating data

Being alerted to events occurring during transport

Having performance indicators

Locating tools and tracking their status

Locating supports in an open circuit

Locating supports in a closed circuit

Ensuring availability on the shelf

Identifying the shopper's journey.