REWE, the specialist in checkout-free shopping, is expanding its Pick&Go autonomous technology in Germany with further test stores in Düsseldorf and Hamburg.
In a statement, the company said it will be launching three more REWE stores in Germany in early 2024 including the largest Pick&Go store to date with an area of around 1,200 square metres.
The expansion will build on its hybrid test markets in Cologne and Berlin that offer both classic payment options and seamless Pick&Go check-out, as well as a market with fully autonomous check-out via Pick&Go in Munich.
With REWE Pick&Go, purchases are recorded securely and data-efficiently using the latest camera and sensor technology and are automatically billed after leaving the store without a checkout process.
Designed to save time, the feature allows customers to buy large purchases without having to waiting in the checkout line.
Largest Pick&Go store to date
Together with technology partner Trigo Vision Ltd., a company specializing in computer vision technology, the test project is now being expanded to additional and larger markets. Trigo’s solution creates a 3D model of a supermarket to digitally and data-efficiently map the environment and movements within it.
In the coming months, two new stores in Hamburg and one store in Düsseldorf will introduce the REWE Pick&Go shopping experience. In the Hanseatic city, REWE said it is increasing the sales area of a Pick & Go market to around 1,200 square metres for the first time.
“We consistently pursue our vision of always offering customers innovative shopping experiences that make shopping easy, convenient and time-saving. We can see from the test history so far that Pick&Go is very well received,” said Jana Sanktjohanser, REWE Pick&Go project manager.
“Usage and recognition rates remain at a very high level. We see this as a good starting point for planning additional markets and including them in the Germany-wide test,” he added.
How it works?
Data protection plays a key role in the development and operation of the shopping system. The system only records data to identify which products are removed or put back. There is no facial recognition, nor can the system recognise customers after a visit to the store. The images captured by customers are processed before being used exclusively to enable checkout-free shopping in the store, REWE added.
