Netto: Discounter presents first store without checkouts

When it comes to the supermarket of the future, Germany has not really taken any groundbreaking steps so far. Particularly if you take a look at the Far East or the USA, the way we do our weekly shopping in this country can seem almost outdated. Now discounter Netto seems to be taking a step forward. In Munich, for example, the company has opened its first store that does without checkouts altogether.

Automatic checkout

We are not talking about a checkout that relies on so-called “self-checkout”. We already know this from many supermarkets, DIY stores and furniture stores. Instead, Nico’s most modern store completely bans a checkout system from its store. This means that the discounter is not only a pioneer in Germany. Netto claims to be the first discounter in the world to use this technology. The company describes its revolutionary technology as “autonomous shopping. But what will supermarket shopping look like in the future? We take a closer look.

Pick & Go makes it possible

You don’t need much to shop at the store in Bavaria’s capital. For one thing, there’s the technical prerequisite. The “Netto app” should be installed on your smartphone. This is the “check-in requirement”. It is important that you have already set up a payment option in the app. Then you can easily gain access to the supermarket via QR code. Once you have collected the items you want, you have to scan a QR code again when you leave. Subsequently, the corresponding value of goods will be deducted from your deposited account.

Special sensors register purchases

To enable the app to register which goods are purchased by which customer, Netto has placed certain sensors in the supermarket. These can detect which customer has taken which goods. The decisive advantage is that you don’t have to scan each individual product yourself. Trigo Vision” has provided the technical features. But according to Netto, you don’t have to worry about your privacy. The discounter itself emphasizes that the procedure complies with the latest data protection standards. For example, the features of the “Trigo Vision” sensors in particular are in line with the German Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Classical shopping also possible

However, it still seems too early for a pure cashierless discounter. Netto, for example, is still relying on a mix of classic and modern shopping, even with its latest checkout. So you can still go shopping without a smartphone along with a suitable Netto app. With its pilot project, Netto is making it clear that modern shopping standards are by no means reserved for noble supermarket chains like Rewe or Edeka. After all, inexpensive shopping options can obviously also score points with modern technology. We are curious to see how things will develop in this area and whether the competition in the form of Aldi, Lidl and others will react accordingly.