Frankfurt/Cologne, October 23, 2025. The start-up Cyreen, part of the portfolio of GS1 Germany investment company butterfly & elephant, has launched a pilot project in collaboration with L. Stroetmann that aims to make brick-and-mortar retail data-driven and networked. The goal is to make the sales area, which has been something of a “black box” up to now, more transparent and measurable, and to identify approaches for a connected store.
Cyreen combines innovative retail media concepts with established standardization: its C.A.P. (Connecting Ad Impressions with Purchase) technology uses RFID technology to record advertising contacts in real time and links them to actual purchasing decisions. RFID chips on shopping carts record which commercials customers see by enabling automatic and contactless recording of movements in the store in real time. The collected data is then linked to the purchases made, which are identified at the checkout using the GTIN (formerly EAN). This allows the actual, incremental advertising impact and conversion to be immediately tracked and evaluated.
In the pilot project with Stroetmann, this technology is being used to collect first-party data on customer behavior in the store and to connect various technologies and data streams on the sales floor. The dashboard, the C.A.P. Explorer, focuses on four key areas:
- Retail Analytics: Analyses of frequencies, dwell times, or walking routes in the store—comparable to the tracking options in e-commerce.
- In-Store Audio/ Radio: Initial measurements of the quantitative impact of in-store audio impulse advertising on shopper rather than total sales, together with P.O.S. Experience.
- In-Store Retail Media Screens: The data collected showed that interactive C.A.P. screens not only increase the visibility of branded products, but also of private labels and entire categories.
- Integration of different data streams: The common basis allows different technologies on the market to be networked with each other. This transforms the sales area into a connected store.
Stroetmann as a driver of innovation
Based in Münster, L. Stroetmann is a regional wholesale partner of the Edeka Group, supplying around 80 Edeka retailers and operating seven of its own E-Centers. With this project, Stroetmann aims to take on a pioneering role in the field of connected retail – with clear expectations: The newly acquired data will be used to design sales areas and store layouts in an even more targeted manner, control advertising measures more precisely, and better understand customer needs. At the same time, brick-and-mortar shopping is to be made more attractive through more relevant offers. "For us, the relevance of advertising is crucial – it's about delivering the right message at the right time. For retail campaigns, this is just as important as reach. Our goal is to coordinate all communication measures: from personalized WhatsApp newsletters to data-driven and contact-specific communication in the store. With projects like this, we are laying the foundation for networked customer communication across all channels," says Jörg Wolf, CEO of L. Stroetmann.
“With C.A.P. technology, we are building a bridge between traditional brick-and-mortar retail and the data-driven possibilities of e-commerce. Thanks to GS1 standards, we are laying the foundation for this solution to work for the entire market,” explains Cyreen co-founder Ciril Hofmann.
For GS1 Germany, Cyreen is an example of how innovation and standardization go hand in hand. As an investment of butterfly & elephant, the startup shows how young companies and established retail players can shape the future of shopping together.
Press photo: E Center in Coesfeld, image rights: L. Stroetmann
Press contact:
GS1 Germany GmbH
Tassja Wagner
Manager Corporate Communications
Stolberger Straße 108 a, 50933 Köln
Phone: +49 170 7009027
E-Mail: tassja.wagner@gs1.de
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