Philips and Carrefour Partner to Beam Discounts Via Light

philips carrefourPhilips has announced a partnership with French retail giant Carrefour to equip stores with smart lights that can track shoppers as they move through stores and deliver coupons to the Carrefour app based on their position.

The system will be initially trialled in one of the brands flagship stores in Lille, which has recently been refurbished and replaced its existing flourescent lighting with 2.5 kilometres of Philips LED lighting to illuminate the 7,800 square metre shop floor.

The fixtures use specially fitted LEDs to transmit data to smartphones through light pulses that arent detectable by the human eye, but which smartphone cameras can pick up and translate into data and instructions.

The technology, which is accurate to within a metre, provides location data and can trigger app activity in the same manner as beacons, but is incorporated into the light fixtures throughout the store, and even offers 50 per cent energy savings on traditional lighting.

“We are always on the lookout for innovations to facilitate customers navigation in our stores and meet consumers expectations,” said Céline Martin, director of commercial modesl and innovation at Carrefour. “Thanks to this new application, we are now able to provide our customers at the EuraLille Carrefour with a new service, enabling them to quickly search and locate their preferred promotions or detect all the promotions around them when in-store.”

“We are leading the way with connected lighting for retail with Carrefour,” said Gerben van der Lugt, head of LED-based indoor positioning at Philips Lighting. “Our connected lighting system has the potential to transform shopping into a more interactive and personalised experience.

“At the same time it will enable retailers to differentiate themselves, enhance customer loyalty and provide new services to shoppers.”