Automated store concepts expand across rural Germany

Sebastian Rennack
international retail analyst
Aletos Retail

According to a recently released white paper by the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Heilbronn, smart stores catering to rural proximity make up 270 of the approximately 600 automated stores currently operating in Germany. Additionally, 150 locations specialize in direct farm-to-consumer sales, while another 40 focus on specialty assortments, primarily from butcheries and bakeries.

Several factors are driving this trend, including Germany’s strict Sunday trading laws, rising labor costs, and increasing shopper demand for convenience.

A smart store serving a small community

The visited ‘Emmerich24’ store is located in a rural German town with approximately 2,500 residents. The area is served by only one regional grocery discounter, while the nearest full-sized supermarket offering serviced counters for fresh items is 5 km away.

The Emmerich24 Smart Store operates adjacent to the Emmerich butchery and remains open around the clock. Customers can access the store via the butchery’s own app, which requires pre-registration, or by using a credit card. The product selection caters to multiple shopping missions.

• Fresh Meat & Convenience: More than half of the store’s nearly 90 SKUs are produced on-site in the adjacent butchery and displayed in refrigerated wall units. The assortment includes over 20 barbecue items such as sausages and marinated meats, alongside ready-to-heat products like meatloaf, lasagna, soups, and gratins.
• Breakfast Essentials: Cold cuts and cheese provide a convenient morning shopping option, also on Sundays, where bakeries are allowed to open as they are exempt from Germany’s Sunday trading restrictions.
• Local Marketplace: The store’s ambient section, comprising approximately 35 SKUs, functions as a platform for local farmers. Over half of the products—including honey, potato chips, juices, pasta, eggs, and jam—are sourced from nearby producers.

Seamless RFID-enabled shopping

All products are equipped with RFID technology. Instead of scanning individual items, customers simply drop their purchases into a dedicated payment box, where the system automatically recognizes and displays the shopping list. Payment is accepted via credit card or the store’s app.

Unlike existing Just Walk Out technologies, which may take several minutes to generate a receipt, the Emmerich24 system offers an immediate solution. After completing payment, customers can scan a QR code to instantly receive a PDF invoice, enhancing transaction efficiency.

With its around-the-clock availability, locally sourced products, and frictionless payment process, the Emmerich 24/7 Smart Store illustrates the potential of automated retail in Germany’s rural areas.

Smart stores are emerging as a solution to supply smaller communities in rural areas

The container store is located adjacent to the traditional butchery shop

Outside the store, customers are guided step by step through the shopping process

The door opens either by scanning the retailer app’s QR code or tapping a credit card

On a sales area of approximately 15 sqm, the butcher offers close to 90 SKUs, the majority stored in chillers

The ambient section comprises around 35 items

Emmerich’s ambient product range also includes self-produced canned meat

A dedicated fixture features company-branded vacuum-packed mini salamis and meat sausages

The unchilled section serves additionally as a marketplace for a dozen local farmers who display their products here

Even in winter, the assortment includes barbecue charcoal…

…which complements the range of barbecue items in the wall chillers

The ready-to-cook assortment also features convenience items such as soups, salads and lasagna

Each item in the store is RFID-tagged, ensuring precise traceability of individual expiry dates

At self-checkout, customers place their purchases into a dedicated box

No item-level scanning is required—the system automatically identifies each product via its RFID label

Payment options include credit card and the Emmerich app

Customers can generate an electronic invoice by scanning a QR code

Unlike global standard Just Walk Out technology, where invoices often are generated with several minutes’ delay, this system allows customers to check their invoices while still in the store

To cover the broadest possible range of shopping missions, the butchery also operates a snack bar and a catering service