At the moment, the German subsidiary of the retail chain Migros, namely tegut… gute Lebensmittel GmbH & Co. KG, primarily operates supermarkets with a distinct focus on organic products. Now, however, it is also testing a new store concept in which a supermarket is open 24/7 with no till staff. Customers simply scan their items and pay by card or on an app. The store is monitored by several cameras and 3D sensors.
For the design and construction of the first pilot store in the central German city of Fulda, tegut… gute Lebensmittel GmbH & Co. KG turned to the expertise on offer from the Swiss canton of Obwalden. The store, which covers a total area of around 50 square meters, was jointly developed and built under the guidance of Neue Holzbau AG and HP Gasser AG, two companies located in Lungern in the canton of Obwalden, as detailed in a joint press release. Specifcally, the two companies set about constructing the store from four elements. The finished supermarket was subsequently delivered to Fulda by means of special transportation. Wood, invisible steel components and the high-performance adhesive GSA were primarily used during the construction process.
The “Made in Lungern” label has also proven to be a hit in Germany, the press release states further. In this context, the pilot store was awarded the 2020 Retail Innovation Prize, among other accolades. The support of the business promotion agency for the canton of Obwalden also played a key role in this success.
