Anheuser-Busch InBev Teams With Accenture for Digital Merchandising in Russia

LEUVEN, Belgium -- Anheuser-Busch InBev, based out of Belgium, has signed an agreement with Accenture to increase merchandising activities at the point of sale, the company reported.

Under the terms of the agreement, AB InBev and Accenture will create a digital merchandising service that provides the brewer with access to detailed, faster and more reliable point of sale data about product presence and placement, according to the report. The pilot project's aim is to deliver a reduction in out of stock products, improved compliance by retailers and improved product sales.

The Accenture Digital Merchandising Service is a customizable solution intended to help in-store performance by offering companies a view of their product's presence and placement on the shelf. Digital pictures of the products and their prices are constantly collected and monitored, then translated into information and key performance indicators by Accenture's mobility software, market analytics and algorithms, said the company.

The program will initially take place in 55 stores in Russia, with the results possibly determining whether it will be rolled out across Russia or into other markets.