Revolutionizing the Shopping Experience: REWE’s Pick&Go Technology Stores in Europe

German retailer REWE Group has recently opened a new store in Hamburg, offering its Pick&Go technology in a 1,200 square-metre space. This outlet, located in Hoheluftchaussee, is said to be Europe’s largest computer vision-supported store and provides customers with various cashless payment options.

At this store, shoppers have four payment choices to choose from. They can opt for cashierless payment using Pick&Go via app, scan and pay at the self-checkout terminal, use computer vision support without scanning at the self-checkout terminal, or pay at the traditional cash register. Another store with Pick&Go technology will be opened in Altonaerstraße in Hamburg this summer.

Store manager Joschua Zimmermann emphasized the benefits of this technology, stating that it allows the store team to focus on customer service, product range maintenance, and advice rather than being tied up at the checkout. The technology was tested in REWE stores in Cologne, Berlin, Munich, and Düsseldorf before being made available to all consumers.

In terms of data protection, the technology used in the store focuses on protecting customer information. Images captured by customers are processed sparingly and only used to facilitate checkout-free shopping. The system records data to identify products being taken or returned but does not use facial recognition technology and cannot identify customers once they leave the store.

REWE Group collaborated with Trigo Vision Ltd., a computer vision technology provider for this new project. Trigo’s solution creates a 3D model of the supermarket to digitally map the environment and track movements within the store. This allows customers to select items and walk out with them while ensuring their privacy is protected throughout the shopping experience.