The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), a non-profit organization that manages and oversees Bluetooth® technology standards, is launching a new wireless standard for the Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) market, which is expected to overcome limitations of using existing proprietary protocols and open a new chapter in retail digital innovation.


The Bluetooth SIG announced on the 9th that it recently developed an ultra-low-power and stable ESL wireless standard based on Bluetooth technology.

Until now, ESL systems have had to use proprietary protocols for wireless communication, which has created potential barriers to adopting global standards; however, the development of this wireless standard is expected to overcome these limitations.

“Interoperability and standardization are inherent in the DNA of Bluetooth technology,” said Mark Powell, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG. “Bluetooth’s member companies have a long history of developing standards that expand markets and enable mass adoption in new product categories. “The introduction of wireless standards for the ESL market is expected to open a new chapter in retail digital innovation to provide an enhanced experience for both stores and consumers,” he said.

Traditionally, retail pricing has relied on labor-intensive, error-prone paper price tags and manual processes that must be performed repeatedly multiple times a day.

Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL) is a network of small, battery-powered electronic paper (e-paper) terminals that replace paper labels by displaying product and pricing information on shelves and using wireless technology to communicate with a central hub to automate real-time pricing.

ESL systems help retailers automate pricing and run their stores more efficiently, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.

Bluetooth® ESL products will leverage features in the forthcoming ESL Profile Specification, including a method for creating interoperable ESL systems, along with new features included in today’s release of Bluetooth Core Specification Version 5.4.