Electronic shelf labels by sector
Electronic Shelf Labels in Pharmacies: How This Sector Differs
Published by Keonex, a manufacturer and implementer of electronic shelf labels. How we work and why we say so: methodology and transparency.
A pharmacy mixes products whose price is set by government with products the owner prices freely, and a label has to treat them differently. The data also comes from the pharmacy’s dispensing and stock system, not a chain-wide ERP. This page covers those differences; the full guide lives at FarmaConnect.
Two kinds of price under one roof
NHS prescription items. In England the patient pays a flat charge per item, currently £9.90, and some items and groups of patients are exempt. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own arrangements. Either way, nothing here is a price the pharmacy picks from the shelf. A label in this zone, if you use one at all, mirrors a figure held elsewhere, and the real requirement is that it never disagrees with the system.
Everything the pharmacy prices itself. Over-the-counter medicines sold privately, vitamins, skincare, baby products and general lines are priced by the owner. Promotions live here: multibuys, seasonal offers, loyalty prices. Under the Price Marking Order 2004, a trader indicating that a product is for sale to a consumer must indicate its selling price (article 4), so the shelf price has to be visible and correct. The EU’s 30-day prior-price rule is not UK law, but the principle that a “was” price must be honest still applies; check current guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority before building a promotion on it. And a mismatch between shelf and till is no more tolerable in a pharmacy than in a supermarket.
| Product type | Who sets the price | What the label does |
|---|---|---|
| NHS prescription item | Government (flat charge) | Display only, if used |
| Private over-the-counter medicine | The pharmacy | Price and promotions |
| Health, beauty and general lines | The pharmacy | Price and promotions |
The dispensing system is the source of truth
Most retailers sync labels with an ERP or a central pricing tool. A pharmacy works from a dispensing and stock system that holds items, prices and stock levels, and any label depends on that integration existing and being maintained. Which systems work with which label platform is vendor information to request in writing; this site does not claim it.
Where to go next
This site analyses the electronic shelf label category across retail, so pharmacy is covered briefly. For the full pharmacy case (integration with pharmacy software and medicine pricing rules), see the FarmaConnect guide to electronic shelf labels for pharmacies, written for the Spanish market. Keonex, the publisher of this site, is also behind FarmaConnect.
If you are comparing technology or vendors regardless of sector, start with what electronic shelf labels are, the manufacturer comparison or the pricing guide. The other verticals are in the sector index.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy set the price of an NHS prescription item with a shelf label?
No. In England an NHS prescription item carries a single charge set by government, currently £9.90 per item, and many patients are exempt. That is not a shelf price, so a label has nothing to decide there. It can only display what the pharmacy's system already holds.
Which pharmacy products are priced freely?
Over-the-counter medicines sold privately, health and beauty lines and general merchandise are priced by the pharmacy, as in any other shop. That is where promotions, and therefore price-marking and reference-price rules, matter. Check current rules for your jurisdiction before running one.
Where is the full guide to electronic shelf labels for pharmacies?
This site does not go deep on pharmacy by editorial choice. The detailed guide is on the FarmaConnect pharmacy guide, linked at the bottom of this page. Note that FarmaConnect targets the Spanish market.
Sources
Keep reading
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