Joachim Pinhammer

Carrefour is expanding tests of its micro-store concept called BuyBye in Belgium. For the first time, customers at a Carrefour hypermarket can shop 24/7 using smart vending machines from specialist Reckon.ai. At its Auderghem site near Brussels, the company wants to measure profitability of the solution.

Möbel Heinrich is expanding its digital customer communication of its store in Steinheim, Westphalia, with digital shelf labels from VusionGroup. Integration partner for the project is LN-Consult. Via digital POS advertising platform Prestige from Online Software, the electronic labels have been integrated with merchandise management system from SHD.

Deichmann is digitalising procurement on Ivalua's Unified Spend Management platform. The family business, based in the German city of Essen, wishes to optimise and automate processes and improve collaboration with suppliers.

Metro has implemented the CMS from Austrian start-up Storyblok for its online presence. The system makes it easy to edit websites even without programming knowledge and generates personalised content using AI. The wholesale company reports a 12 per cent increased click through rate.

Toom Baumarkt has opted for price optimisation software from Revionics. With the AI-based solution, DIY banner operation of Rewe Group wants to improve price perception and thus promote customer loyalty and growth.

The Estonian Coop has added a payment function to its customer app. The app, developed by local software provider Datanor, utilises Scanbot SDK’s scan engine. It allows customers to scan their purchases with their smartphone and pay directly via app at more than 100 Coop outlets.

MC Sonae has opened a large scanless supermarket in Leiria, Portugal. The 1,200-square-metre Continente Bom Dia store uses more than 1,600 cameras and 2,000 scales and AI from Sensei to track purchases, as well as refrigeration technology from Jordao.

Lekkerland has opened its first railway station store in Koblenz. The unmanned smart store works with technology from Reckon.ai. The Rewe subsidiary sees great potential for cashierless stores at railway stations and airports.

Thalia is optimising its supply chain processes with Relex software. Its AI-based solutions for forecasting and replenishment are designed to improve availability of goods in stores and distribution centres. Capgemini is implementation partner for the project.

In the highly competitive POS software market, GK was able to significantly expand its market position and achieved second place behind market leader NCR Voyix. RBR Data Services’ study Global POS Software 2024 expects a growing demand for new solutions. However, more and more retail companies rely on proprietary solutions.