Itab

Itab has announced to acquire its French competitor HMY for 320 million Euros. The two companies, which are roughly the same size and have different regional focuses, want to strengthen their market position internationally. The Retail Optimiser spoke to Klaus Schmid, SVP at Itab Group, about expectations for the move.

Aldi Nord is testing a modified self-checkout strategy at three stores in Germany. Similar to its competitor Lidl, the discounter is using GK's software consistently for both manned checkouts and self-checkouts. The discounter also uses the same hardware components in the checkout lanes as at the self-checkouts. The counter for the current self-checkout prototype is supplied by shopfitting specialist Kesseböhmer.

After years of testing different systems and processes in Portugal, the UK, France and the Netherlands, Lidl has now apparently found its way forward for Scan&Go: self-scanning is coming to Europe as a feature of Lidl Plus, the discounter's loyalty app.

Primark has brought self-checkouts from Itab to its UK stores such as those in Truro, Broughton Park, Chester and the Irish store in Mullingar. The Irish fashion specialist had previously started to equip some of its stores in UK with self-checkouts from Swedish retail solution provider on a test phase in 2022. Primark is also upgrading in the Click&Collect area.

Lidl is now also introducing self-checkouts in Germany. With Swiss hardware specialist 4POS and its software supplier GK, Lidl is embarking on a platform strategy using the same standard components as at its attended checkouts. Cash payment is possible at all devices: thanks to cash recyclers from Glory.

Edeka Nordbayern offers its members a customised self-checkout solution. The compact systems come from Pyramid and work with software from GK.

A nine-member independent jury has selected this year's winners of the Reta Awards on behalf of the EHI Retail Institute. Winners in five categories include retail companies such as E.Leclerc, Edeka, Fressnapf, Ikea, Rewe, Salling Group and Tegut.

Edeka Meyer's offers customers a new and efficient type of checkout. In its newly opened store at Freesen Center in the city of Neumünster, the retailer has deployed two Itab ScanMate self-checkout systems.