How can a supermarket be open around the clock without having staff on site at all times? Florian Jäger, owner of the EDEKA store at Stuttgart Airport, asked himself this question - and found an innovative solution. At EuroCIS 2025, he presented the WalkIn concept, which allows his store to operate at night without staff, but not without supervision.
The challenge: exploiting business opportunities, minimizing costs
The EDEKA store at Stuttgart Airport regularly closes at 10 pm. However, many people are still out and about at the airport in the late evening and early morning hours - potential customers, potential sales. Jäger did not want to lose this turnover any longer, but was faced with a problem: “Continuous operation with staff is both expensive and difficult to implement, because finding suitable staff for night work is a challenge.”
The solution: a hybrid store concept with self-checkout
After intensive planning, the EDEKA team opted for a concept that combines technological solutions with customer friendliness. The store is accessible at night for customers with a debit card. Inside, all processes run via self-checkout tills (SCO). The payment process was deliberately designed to work with just a few clicks to avoid confusion or delays.
Security: a decisive factor
Of course, a staffless supermarket places high demands on security. Jäger and his team have therefore taken several measures:
- Access control: entry is only possible with a registered EC card.
- Surveillance: Cameras and audio sensors ensure real-time monitoring and can alert security services in an emergency.
- Product range restriction: Certain product groups such as alcohol or tobacco products are blocked at night to minimize misuse or theft.
- Shrink detection technology: Intelligent cameras analyze whether items have been scanned and paid for
“Of course there are security risks, but we have taken precautions with various systems to prevent theft or vandalism as far as possible,” emphasizes Jäger.
Profitability: Is the concept worth it?
The investment costs for the changeover amounted to around 300,000 euros and the monthly operating costs to around 3,000 euros. The calculation envisaged an amortization period of three years - but in practice, things went even better: after two years and two months, the system had already paid for itself.
The figures speak for themselves:
- 650,000 euros in sales were generated during the night hours - that corresponds to 8% of total sales.
- At 7.52 euros, the average purchase amount during the night was almost at the same level as during the day.
- The self-checkout share rose to 51.85% overall, which also makes the store more efficient during the day.
Jäger sees this as a clear advantage: “We were forced to optimize the processes in the self-checkout area because no employee can help at night. We are now also benefiting from this during the day.”
Customer experience: acceptance and feedback
Customer reactions were overwhelmingly positive - night workers at the airport, such as the police and fire department, particularly welcomed the concept. The store also tested a service robot to help with orientation. “People found it exciting - our employees even put a Christmas hat on it to make it look friendlier,” says Jäger with a grin.
Conclusion: a model for the future?
The airport location is ideal for a walk-in concept - but can it also be transferred to other markets? According to Jäger, it depends very much on the location conditions: “What works at the airport doesn't automatically work in another part of Stuttgart or a small village.”
Nevertheless, he sees great potential - especially in view of the shortage of skilled workers in the retail sector. The concept is not intended as a replacement for staff, but as a supplementary solution to deploy workers more efficiently.
“We have learned a lot and are developing the concept further - for example with new anti-theft technologies. It is not a finished model, but it is an exciting step into the future of retail.”
