Migros plans first Swiss 24/7 supermarket

Migros plans first Swiss 24/7 supermarket – SWI swissinfo.ch

Innovation in Switzerland and kind of a big deal. I wonder how they will handle not having workers present?

What is Migros? Migros is Switzerland’s largest retail company and Supermarket Chain. It is also one of the largest employers in the country. It is a cooperative federation, or called a Coop in the US. The same as the US, Migros is owned by its members. Switzerland is venturing outside of its past business model of open and close stores, etc.

The new concept is to have stores open 24 hours a day. After hours, Migros will not have any personnel working to help customers or check them out at the register. Self-serve will occur after normal business hours.

It is a bold step for a country which is somewhat conservative in its business practices. All items will be paid by credit or debit cards. In the US, I am guessing there could be issues with shoplifting.

Self-Service Migros Vending Stores is the Concept

Shopping around the clock, even on Sundays and public holidays: retailer Migros is planning Switzerland’s first Migros supermarket with continuous opening hours in Herisau, canton Appenzell Outer Rhodes.

The company submitted a corresponding application to the municipality, Migros Ostschweiz said on Monday. If it receives the authorisation, the test operation in the shop on Alpsteinstrasse will start in summer 2025.

The shop will remain open during normal opening hours. After closing time, the supermarket will switch to self-service mode. Customers will then be able to access the self-service shop using a debit or credit card and Cumulus code.

Payment is made at self-checkout tills or via the Migros app. For security reasons, the store is monitored by video and sensors. The system is designed to recognise and raise the alarm if someone suffers a medical problem or has an accident in the shop.

The pilot project is Migros’ response to the increasing demand for flexible shopping options. Following the “successful and popular” Teo small shop format, the company now wants to go one step further, a spokeswoman for Migros Ostschweiz told the news agency AWP on request. The Migros branch in Herisau is the first 24/7 store in Switzerland to be equipped with Teo technology.

Tourist area

The Teo concept was launched in 2022. These are vending machines with a sales area of 50 to 100 square metres in wooden buildings and interiors, where customers also have access around the clock. Migros now operates eight such self-service shops.

The Migros branch in Herisau is also a rather small shop. The range comprises around 7,000 items on 295 square metres. Most recently, eight employees worked there, but from the summer there will be nine. The shop shelves are replenished by staff during staffed opening hours. If something is sold out, customers have to wait until the shop is stocked again.

The shop for the trial operation is located on a highly frequented road that connects a rural region with the city, the spokeswoman continued. It is also located in the Alpstein tourist area.

Setback in Zurich

Migros needs a licence for the trial operation. Among other things, it wants to make structural changes to the existing shop and adjust the opening hours or temporarily switch to vending machine operation. The legal requirements for this vary from canton to canton and municipality to municipality.

Once the authorisation process and technical implementation have been completed, 24/7 operation is due to start in the summer. Migros will announce a specific date once planning has been finalised.

In canton Zurich, Migros recently suffered a setback with sales on Sundays. The Zurich Administrative Court ruled that the operation of the Migros Daily shop on Zollstrasse in Zurich and the Gooods shop on Bahnhofplatz in Winterthur on Sundays was illegal. The trade union Unia had filed a lawsuit for violation of the ban on Sunday sales.

Migros’ competitors are also focusing on 24-hour shops. The kiosk operator Valora runs round-the-clock shops at motorway service stations under the Avec label. In Zurich, it also operates autonomous shops where customers can gain access via an app on Sundays, for example. However, shops were temporarily closed at night due to security-related incidents. For the same reason, Spar also closed unattended vending machine shops in Zurich and Graubünden.