Unmanned store opens in Sweden

Recently, a store without any employees opened its doors in Sweden. Customers can shop with their smartphone and the store will open 24 hours per day.

No tobacco, medicine or alcohol

Owner Robert Ilijason considers his store to be the perfect solution for customers who want to shop for only a few items when other supermarkets are normally closed, without having to employ people who are willing to work during the night.

Customers will have to register beforehand and download an app to open the store’s doors when they want to buy items. The smartphone is also used for everything else in the store and payments are handled every month.

Particularly smaller items, like milk, bread, sugar, diapers and other convenience store-typed items are on sale in this store. Tobacco and medicine are not available, which should limit the risk for theft. In any case, alcohol is also not available, but that is a general rule for all Swedish convenience stores.

Convince older audience

Ilijason hopes his idea will spread all across Sweden, because he feels several cities and villages need smaller convenience stores again. Not having to pay staff should help facilitate the launch of actual stores, he feels.

The biggest problem lies in how to convince the older audience, as the technology in the store may pose a problem for these consumers. That is why Ilijason is contemplating whether he should actually hire someone for a few hours a day, to assist people with their purchases.