24 January | February 2026 abasto.com 57% higher customer satisfaction 55% reduction in labor costs 49% improved product availability 38% monetization of data with manufacturers Technological Maturity Drives Adoption After years of trial and error, the sector has rea- ched a tipping point. IHL states that over the past 18 24 months, smart shelving technology has achieved more than 95% accuracy even in complex stores. Today, nearly two-thirds of retailers have imple- mented or plan to adopt these solutions. Top-performing retai- lers are 94% more likely to invest early in new techno- logies. Those adding auto- nomous robots or upgra- ded smart shelves double their chances of leading in sales and profits. A Widening Gap The report identifies a growing divide between leaders and laggards. Hi- gh-performing retailers are increasing tech in- vestments 740% faster Continuation of page 22 Choose leadership. Act now. Execute with discipline. Expected Benefits 40%60% fewer labor hours Faster restocking Availability corrected in minutes, not days Immediate Impact on Efficiency Time to Act IHL concludes with a clear warning: the gap between adopters and those dela- ying smart shelving has reached critical levels. Leading chains are im- plementing the technolo- gy methodically, starting with high-turnover items and expanding to plano- grams, price integrity and data monetization. The competitive advan- tage built through smart shelving grows quarter by quarter. Falling behind is no longer an option. and project 460% higher IT budgets per store. Fixed cameras, mobile solutions and hybrid mo- dels dominate moderniza- tion strategies. Real-World Results: More Sales, More Efficiency Numbers tell the story. A ma- jor European supermarket chain increased availability from 90% to 95%, genera- ting over $4 million in annual profit. A North American pharmacy chain improved availability by only 4.5% but gained $55 million in additio- nal revenue. Retailers that have adop- ted the technology report 40%60% reductions in hours spent on manual inventory audits. Interven- tions now rely on precise AI alerts rather than end- less store rounds. TECHNOLGY FOCUS