RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • Newsletter
  • Contact & Route
Members' area
  • Log in
  • Become a member
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • Events
    • OVERVIEW EVENTS
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
  • Advertising
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
  • Members’ area
RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • Newsletter
  • Contact & Route
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • Events
    • OVERVIEW EVENTS
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
  • Advertising
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
  • Members’ area
Members' area
  • Log in
  • Become a member
thumb
Written by Jorg Snoeck
In this article
Share article
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

Lidl's parent company trials till-free mini-store in Heilbronn

icon
Food12 March, 2021

Schwarz Group, the parent company of Lidl, Kaufland and others, is testing till-less stores in Germany. Using two formulas, the group wants to gain experience in automated shopping.

 

“Lidl light”

Nearly everywhere in Europe, retailers are experimenting with new technologies and stores that no longer require a traditional cash register (and almost no staff). Recently, Amazon opened a till-less Fresh store in London, and Jumbo is currently testing smart shopping trolleys in the Netherlands. These are just a few examples of a range of initiatives integrating new technology to make shopping more convenient and more enjoyable for customers.

 

It seems the discount stores do not want to miss this technological train either. On the Dieter Schwarz Foundation education campus in Heilbronn, Germany, the Schwartz group is currently trialling a formula reminiscent of the Amazon Go concept. The convenience store is called shop.box and is not operated by Lidl or Kaufland, but by Schwarz Restaurantbetriebe.

 

At present, the store is only accessible to students and staff members from the campus. They can register using the shop.box app. Once inside the store, they can simply take the desired items off the shelves – or put them back – and their smartphone is then no longer needed. The range consists mainly of basic products and can best be described as a slimmed-down Lidl offering. The payment is done automatically via payment provider Klarna, writes SupermarktBlog.
 

Also a pick-up service

Just like Amazon Go, a system of cameras and sensors registers which products customers take off the shelves. Shoppers are asked not to hand over items to other customers, as the technology cannot record this. They are also not allowed to put products on the floor, and a dedicated box for damaged items sits at the exit of the store.
 

Besides the till-less store, Schwarz is also testing a pick-up service. A second app – collect.box – offers the possibility to compile a shopping list on a smartphone and collect the products at a terminal. Here too, payment takes place automatically via Klarna.

More on Food
See more
  • icon
    Food28 May, 2025
    Haacht Brewery considers sale after a poor year

    Under pressure from falling sales and a doubling of its loss, the Haacht Brewery is considering its strategic options, including a possible sale. The Belgian brewery group is struggling to respond to changing consumer habits.

  • icon
    Food28 May, 2025
    Aldi and Lidl fight price war in Germany

    After Lidl announced the ‘biggest price cut of all time’ in Germany last week, rivals Aldi Nord and Süd are launching the counterattack in a battle for price leadership that also affects other retailers.

  • icon
    Food27 May, 2025
    Pieter Pot opens first physical store

    Dutch package-free online supermarket Pieter Pot has opened its first physical sales point in Utrecht, where shoppers can buy the most popular products from the range. If successful, the concept will be expanded to other cities.

Events
  • 19
    Jun
    CATEGORY MANAGEMENT CONGRESS 2025
  • 17
    Sep
    CAPTAINS OF RETAIL 2025 – EDITION II
  • 25
    Sep
    RETAIL MARKETING DAY 2025
Most read
  • icon
    Fashion30 May, 2025
    Why Belgian Nike employees fear redundancies
  • icon
    Food28 May, 2025
    Aldi and Lidl fight price war in Germany
  • icon
    Fashion7 May, 2025
    Zalando enters Luxembourg market with dedicated webshop and app
  • icon
    Fashion6 May, 2025
    Zalando confirms forecasts after excellent first quarter
Follow RetailDetail
  • socialFacebook
  • socialTwitter
  • socialInstagram
  • sociallinkedIn
footer-logo
RetailDetail, the leading b2b-retailcommunity in the Benelux, keeps retail professionals up-to-date by means of online & offline publications, retail events, inspiring retail hunts and the unique co-creation platform retailhub, where retailers and their suppliers can experience the future of shopping.
RetailDetail Mailing Address:
Kolveniersstraat 7, bus 26 2000 Antwerp
Visiting address:
Stadsfeestzaal – Meir 78 2000 Antwerp
How to reach us:
Directions
© 2025 RetailDetail
general conditions | privacy policy
Contact us About us info@retaildetail.be
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Accept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the ...
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT