Żabka to do away with store staff

The two companies intend to create 24 hour stores without check-outs. The two companies intend to start testing the first such store over the coming months. The retailer is also intending to use the system to further develop its container store format, which so far it has opened in seaside towns on a seasonal basis. AiFi uses image recognition systems to process data in real time. Eventually the stores are intended to operate independently without staff, with customers being charged for goods automatically as they take them from the shelves in a concept similar to one developed by Amazon in the US.

“We are glad that we are the first to provide a completely new style of stores on the European market. The AiFi system will enable us to provide our customers with faster service and optimise the management of the traditional stores run by our franchisees. We are also working on creating a format of fully automated stores that to be introduced in places with very heavy footfall,” says Tomasz Blicharski, the deputy CEO responsible for finance and development at Żabka. “Żabka is becoming a global leader in innovation, which is why we are so excited about having such a partner,” says Ying Zheng, the CTO and a co-founder of AiFi.