By Dr. Paul Smith, Vice President, Xerox Research Center Canada

What if product labels, packaging, and displays could tell us what we need to know?

Xerox scientists and engineers conduct groundbreaking studies that promise to incorporate smart elements, such as smart boards and smart sensors, into labels. Product packaging that will revolutionize business operations and help bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to life.

Let’s imagine that in the future, when purchasing a product, the counter shelf where it is located indicates information such as benefits, ingredients or even special offers. The technology integrated into the exhibitor will detect the signal from your smartphone and will immediately direct you to the brand’s website to consult more information about the product you have just chosen or similar products that might interest you.

This experience would not only be inside the store, for example, the smart packaging on a drug could remind patients when and how to take it. It would also send information directly to the pharmacy every time the drug needs to be refilled or even about the patient’s health.

On the other hand, the brand and its partners could better understand the way in which customers interact with the products; They would know which products they buy and which they take and put back on the shelf, as well as how much time the customer spends in front of the display. All of those learnings could be leveraged to improve pricing, discounts, and future interactive displays.

As these technologies mature, new opportunities will emerge for those involved in the value chain – from the print service providers that will produce those smart packaging and displays, to the retailers and brand owners looking to create a more meaningful experience for your customers by connecting their physical world with the digital realm.