Rewe is once again piloting deployment of delivery robots from US specialist Starship. Customers in the vicinity of the Rewe store at Holsteinischer Kamp 53 in Hamburg’s Barmbek district can have their grocery orders delivered by the self-driving vehicles. The company had already tested them in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel over a period of six months in 2023.
Primary focus then was on technical feasibility. The company stated that the project had proven to be innovative and feasible. The current pilot operation is primarily intended to test suitability for everyday use under real-life conditions and focuses on customer acceptance. To this end, Rewe expanded the available product range and extended delivery times.
The use of delivery robots is controversial and poses major challenges. The systems have a limited load capacity. Due to the tight delivery radius, the service is limited to the immediate catchment area of a supermarket and does not open up new households as customers for the store. Obstacles such as construction sites, kerbs or heavy traffic can disrupt operations. Customers often have to carry the goods themselves for the last few metres, as the vehicles cannot use stairs or lifts.
Economic viability not yet proven
Delivery robots should also be monitored remotely by humans. In the event of malfunctions or possible vandalism, service personal must intervene, which can involve considerable efforts and expenses. Public acceptance is also controversial. There are concerns about safety, space on sidewalks and how pedestrians will interact with the autonomous vehicles. It is therefore questionable whether the technology can be profitable and scalable in the long term, especially under complex delivery conditions.
British retailer Tesco began initial testing of the Starship delivery robot in London in 2017 as part of the Tesco Now project. In later pilot phases, the systems delivered groceries to households in close vicinity to selected Tesco Express stores, such as in Milton Keynes. Customers could order via app and track delivery in real time. The company terminated the tests in spring 2024.
Product range is limited
Starship’s self-driving vehicles are slightly larger than a beer crate and weigh 35 kilograms. They have a capacity of 32 litres and can run for 18 hours on a single battery charge. Their operating range is 1.5 to two kilometres. The vehicles move along the sidewalk at a maximum speed of six kilometres per hour. They navigate using 360-degree cameras and artificial intelligence. The technology is designed to ensure that accidents do not occur.
Customers who wish to use the service can order and pay for their goods via a special app that is part of Rewe’s Pickitoo platform. Beverage crates, frozen products, meat and fish products that require refrigeration, items from the service counters and over-the-counter medications are excluded from delivery. Rewe delivers orders in the test area Monday through Saturday between 8 am and 9 pm within one hour.
