In December 2025, Smart Urban Sensing (SUS) deployed its flagship 3DPro2 AI people counter for retail analytics at the brand-new HARIBO store in Manchester’s iconic Trafford Centre. From the very first customer, the system delivered 99% accurate, real-time visitor analytics — giving HARIBO the data-driven foundation to optimise staffing, store layout, and marketing performance inside one of the UK’s busiest shopping destinations.
About the HARIBO Trafford Centre Store
The Trafford Centre HARIBO store is the brand’s 13th UK retail location and a true destination for families and confectionery lovers. Set in a premium mall environment attracting over 26 million annual visitors, the store combines a vibrant pick ‘n’ mix experience with classic favourites including Starmix and Tangfastics, new ranges such as Nostalgix and Alienauts, and hard-to-find international varieties from across Europe.
- Location: Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8AA
- Opening Date: 5th December 2025
- Store Concept: Experiential, family-friendly sweet shop
- Centre Annual Footfall: 26.1 million visitors
- Average Dwell Time: 83–120 minutes
The Challenge: Managing High Footfall with Zero Guesswork
Launching in a flagship Trafford Centre unit, HARIBO needed reliable, real-time visitor analytics from day one. The key challenges included:
- Managing intense peak traffic: Weekends, school holidays, and centre-wide events generate heavy visitor flows requiring precise monitoring for both service quality and safety compliance.
- Optimising staff schedules: Without accurate footfall data, rotas risk being based on assumptions rather than real visitor behaviour — leading to overstaffing in quiet periods and understaffing at peak times.
- Measuring conversion: HARIBO needed to understand how many visitors converted into paying customers, and how store layout and promotions influenced that rate.
- GDPR and privacy compliance: As a family-oriented store with many children present, the solution had to be fully compliant with UK data protection law — with no identifiable images captured or stored.
- Proving ROI: A prime Trafford Centre location commands significant investment. HARIBO needed robust data to benchmark performance and justify the space.
The Solution: Smart Urban Sensing 3DPro2 AI People Counter for Retail Analytics
Smart Urban Sensing recommended and installed the SUS 3DPro2 — the company’s flagship AI-powered 3D stereo vision people counting sensor, purpose-built for high-traffic, complex retail environments like Trafford Centre.
How the 3DPro2 Works
- Dual cameras create a precise 3D view of the entrance, distinguishing people from prams, trolleys, and objects.
- Advanced AI deep learning algorithms deliver real-time, bidirectional IN/OUT counting — even during peak crowd surges.
- Automatic staff exclusion filters employee movements, ensuring only genuine customer counts are recorded.
- All data is anonymised at source — no facial recognition, no personal data stored — making it fully GDPR compliant.
- Live occupancy monitoring and heatmap analytics are accessible via the SUS cloud dashboard.
Installation at Trafford Centre
SUS engineers conducted a full pre-installation site survey before mounting the 3DPro2 above the main store entrance. Installation, calibration, and testing were completed ahead of the grand opening, meaning HARIBO had live, validated footfall data from the moment the doors opened.
- Installation time: Approximately 4 hours with minimal disruption
- Coverage: Full entrance width, including during busy crowd periods
- Connectivity: Secure network link to the SUS cloud analytics platform
- Access: Real-time dashboards and scheduled reports for store and area managers
Results: Real-Time Footfall Data That Drives Decisions
From launch, the 3DPro2 provided HARIBO Trafford Centre with accurate, actionable visitor intelligence that the team could act on immediately.
Opening Day Performance
- High-accuracy visitor counts validated against manual checks — exceeding 99% accuracy
- Peak hour clearly identified in the post-lunch window, informing future staffing plans
- Live occupancy monitoring maintained a comfortable, safe in-store environment throughout
First Month Insights
- Weekend uplift: Significantly higher weekend traffic than weekdays confirmed the need for flexible, data-led rotas
- Peak trading window: Late morning to late afternoon consistently accounted for the majority of daily visitors
- Dwell time patterns: Extended dwell around the pick ‘n’ mix wall indicated strong engagement and excellent cross-sell potential
- Evening opportunity: Post-6pm traffic representing a notable share of daily visitors — an untapped window for targeted promotions
Operational Benefits: People Counter Retail Analytics for HARIBO
1. Data-Driven Staff Scheduling
Footfall patterns from the 3DPro2 enabled HARIBO to align staff rotas with genuine visitor demand. More team members are now rostered during midday and weekend peaks, while quieter periods operate with leaner staffing — without compromising customer experience.
- Reduced overstaffing during low-traffic windows
- Faster response times during busy periods
- Better balance between labour cost and service quality
- Estimated labour cost savings of up to 15% within the first month
2. Layout and Merchandising Optimisation
Using footfall flow and dwell-time data, the store team identified which zones attracted the most engagement. The pick ‘n’ mix wall and hero product displays emerged as the strongest performing areas — guiding decisions on promotional placement and future layout refinements.
3. Marketing and Campaign Measurement
HARIBO can now measure the precise impact of campaigns and centre-wide events by comparing baseline footfall with promotional periods. This transforms marketing from instinct-led to fully data-informed, maximising ROI on every campaign investment.
4. Conversion Rate Tracking
By integrating 3DPro2 visitor data with point-of-sale information, HARIBO gained a clear picture of conversion rate — the percentage of visitors who make a purchase. Initial data showed strong conversion performance, with visitors who dwelled longer near the pick ‘n’ mix station showing the highest purchase rates.
Privacy-First Retail Analytics
Because the SUS 3DPro2 counts people completely anonymously — without capturing or storing any identifiable images — HARIBO benefits from rich, actionable analytics while fully respecting customer privacy. This approach aligns with UK GDPR requirements and reinforces HARIBO’s commitment to a safe, welcoming, family-friendly environment.
- No facial recognition or individual tracking
- Only aggregated, anonymous visitor metrics collected
- Full compliance with UK GDPR and data protection standards
- Transparent data practices that build customer trust
Why HARIBO Chose Smart Urban Sensing
- Proven accuracy in high-traffic retail — essential in a flagship mall environment like Trafford Centre
- Real-time, actionable insights — not just historical reports but live data for immediate decisions
- Privacy-first design — anonymous counting, GDPR compliant by default
- UK-based expertise and support — full survey, installation, configuration, and ongoing optimisation from the SUS team
- Scalability — the same platform can support additional sensors, new zones, or further HARIBO store locations in future
Key Takeaways from the Trafford Centre Deployment
- Real-time footfall data gives new stores an immediate, clear understanding of performance from day one
- Aligning staff rotas with genuine visitor patterns improves both customer experience and labour efficiency
- Conversion and campaign analysis becomes far more meaningful when built on robust, validated visitor counts
- Privacy-first AI people counters like the SUS 3DPro2 are the ideal solution for busy, family-oriented retail in major UK shopping centres
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the SUS 3DPro2 people counter in a busy retail environment?
The 3DPro2 delivers 99%+ counting accuracy in high-traffic retail environments, validated through manual count comparisons. Its AI-powered 3D stereo vision distinguishes people from objects, prams, and trolleys — even during peak crowd periods — making it one of the most reliable people counting solutions available for shopping centres and retail stores.
Is the 3DPro2 compliant with UK GDPR and privacy regulations?
Yes. The SUS 3DPro2 is designed with privacy at its core. It counts visitors anonymously without capturing or storing any identifiable images or personal data. This makes it fully compliant with UK GDPR and ideal for family-friendly environments where privacy is especially important.
Can the 3DPro2 integrate with existing retail systems like POS and CRM?
Absolutely. The 3DPro2 people counter for retail analytics integrates seamlessly with point-of-sale systems, CRM platforms, and marketing tools via the SUS cloud analytics platform and open API. This enables retailers to correlate visitor counts with sales data for conversion tracking, campaign measurement, and full-funnel retail analytics.
How long does installation take and is it disruptive to store operations?
Installation of the 3DPro2 typically takes around 4 hours and causes minimal disruption to store operations. SUS engineers handle site survey, mounting, calibration, and testing — and the system can be fully operational before a store opens to the public.
What kind of return on investment can retailers expect from people counting?
Retailers using the SUS 3DPro2 typically see measurable ROI within weeks of installation, through labour cost savings from optimised scheduling (up to 15%), improved conversion rates from layout and merchandising decisions informed by footfall data, and more effective marketing spend through campaign performance measurement.
Ready to Transform Your Store with 3DPro2 People Counting?
If you operate in a high-footfall retail environment — whether a shopping centre unit, high-street flagship, or multi-site estate — Smart Urban Sensing can help you achieve the same level of visitor intelligence that HARIBO now enjoys at Trafford Centre.
The SUS 3DPro2 supports:
- Real-time footfall and occupancy monitoring
- Staff scheduling and service optimisation
- Store layout and visual merchandising decisions
- Marketing campaign and event performance measurement
- Multi-site benchmarking and reporting
Contact Smart Urban Sensing today for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions for people counter retail analytics solutions to request a free demo or speak to our retail analytics specialists.
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