SPAR is the first food retailer in Austria to launch a trial using an inventory robot. Since 1 July, the robot called Tally is being tested in a EUROSPAR supermarket in Vienna and the INTERSPAR hypermarket in Eisenstadt. The robot moves through the store, scanning shelves to check if products are fully replenished. The aim is to reduce the workload for employees and improve the shopping experience for customers by keeping shelves well-stocked.

Being 2 metres in height, the autonomous shelf-scanning robot is easy to spot in the store. It moves around on its own, scanning shelves to find empty spots, summarises the collected data, and sends a detailed inventory report to employees via email. Thanks to the automated robot, goods control is continuous, more accurate and, to the delight of employees, automatic. This means team members don’t have to stop what they are doing to check shelves and can focus more on helping customers.

“We are constantly reviewing future-oriented technological solutions that will further reduce the workload of our employees. Automated inventory control and integrated reporting ensure better control of product availability on the shelves of our stores, and our employees have more time to provide personal advice to customers – a win-win situation for everyone,” said SPAR Austria’s CEO Hans K. Reisch.

Phased introduction

Tally will be tested over the next five months. In the first four weeks, the robot will become familiar with the store environment. During this time, adjustments will be made to the device, and its inspection route in the store will be defined. Starting in mid-August, the collected data will be evaluated, and regular reports will be sent to employees. The inventory robot will check the shelves up to three times a day, but it won’t be active during busy shopping hours.

Practical and smart

Once in operation, the inventory robot moves around the store, scanning the entire food section in both test sites. It uses cameras to take pictures of shelves and the products on them, but never of people. If someone walks in front of the camera, the image is automatically deleted. These images allow the inventory robot to not only recognise product availability, but also changes in product placement, and it adapts its route to the changed circumstances. The robot doesn’t talk or interact with people. It simply avoids customers, employees or immovable objects, so it doesn’t get in the way of daily operations.

“The test of the Tally robot is an example of how smart automation can support employees in their work in the future while also improving data quality in the market. Such approaches are an important step on the path to further developing the food retail sector technologically,” emphasised Hans K. Reisch.

After evaluating the initial data, SPAR Austria will decide whether to extend the test beyond the initial five months.

Source: SPAR Austria

Read more news from SPAR Austria.

About SPAR Austria

The origins of the SPAR brand in Austria date back to 1954. The current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG, a 100% privately owned Austrian company. Company-owned stores operate throughout the country in the multi-format retail strategy developed since the 1960’s whilst independent retailers operate under sub-license from SPAR Austria and continue building the brand’s presence.