AG Barr is one of the UK’s most iconic drinks manufacturers, best known for household brands like IRN-BRU, Rubicon and Barr Flavours. With a heritage of over 145 years, the company has continually reinvented itself to stay at the forefront of consumer trends and retail execution. Today, AG Barr is once again leading from the front, this time by embracing cutting-edge technology to digitise field operations, accelerate execution and strengthen retailer partnerships.
The Challenge: Time Lost, Opportunities Missed
Like many consumer goods companies, AG Barr’s field teams were burdened with manual audits. Every store visit meant time-consuming shelf checks and paperwork, leaving less time for high-value selling activities. This created a double challenge:
- Field reps were spending too much time auditing, not selling.
- Head office lacked timely, reliable visibility to optimise execution.
The result was a cycle of inefficiency: slow data collection, delayed insights and limited ability to adjust execution in real time. To stay competitive in a fast-moving drinks market, AG Barr needed a step change, a way to free up its teams and connect store-level visibility directly with strategic decision-making.
The Solution: Visual AI Built into the Workflow
In partnership with Neurolabs and Aforza, AG Barr deployed advanced Visual AI to modernise field execution. By embedding image recognition directly into the Aforza Field app, reps simply take a photo of the shelf and instantly receive actionable insights:
- Real-time SKU detection – no manual counting required
- Instant shelf layout & compliance feedback – driving faster corrective action
- Direct visibility for head office – connecting field execution with central planning
This integration meant field reps could stay in their familiar workflows while unlocking powerful new capabilities. Execution data became immediate, accurate and actionable, giving AG Barr a real-time feedback loop from store to strategy.
“With Neurolabs, we can onboard new SKUs in a fraction of the time it used to take. What once required weeks of manual setup now happens almost instantly, ensuring our field teams have the latest products at their fingertips. It’s a game-changer for catalogue management and keeps us agile in a fast-moving market.”
Zoe Park, Catalogue Manager, AG Barr
The Results: Efficiency Meets Execution Excellence
The impact was immediate and transformative. By turning manual audits into instant photo insights, AG Barr halved the time required for in-store audits, while improving accuracy and boosting confidence in the data that fuels strategic decision-making.
Impact at a Glance:
- 50% faster store audits – reps spend less time checking, more time selling
- 300+ SKUs digitised – ready for instant recognition
- 96% accuracy – reliable insights to support real-time decisions
.webp)
Field reps now focus on building customer relationships and driving sales, while HQ benefits from a faster, clearer view of execution across the market.
“Neurolabs transformed our field operations: faster, more accurate and fully digitised. Our reps spend more time selling and we have far greater confidence in our data.”
Keir Stewart, Head of Performance Analytics, AG Barr
Looking Ahead: Scaling Digital Excellence
With this successful rollout, AG Barr has set a new benchmark for field execution in the UK drinks market. The company is now exploring opportunities to expand Visual AI into more categories and embed the technology deeper into its commercial processes. The vision: a fully digitised retail execution model where every store visit drives measurable value, sharper insights and stronger growth.
From 50% faster audits to real-time insights, AG Barr proved what’s possible with Visual AI.
Your competitive edge starts here. Speak to one of our experts today!
