Could rural areas benefit from self-checkout?

Self-checkout technology by Diebold Nixdorf is spreading in Germany, and its AI-powered age-verification technology is helping a small store in the village of Freckenfeld to keep its doors open. 

The village grocer in Freckenfeld closed up shop in May of 2023 but was recently reopened as Dorfladen Freckenfeld – Powered by EDEKA Paul with the installation of two self-checkout registers that feature age-recognition technology that enables liquor sales without the need for a cashier. 

The DN Series EASY eXpress self-service checkouts debuted at a micro-location run by Germany’s largest grocery retail chain, Edeka Group, at Stuttgart Airport in Stuttgart, Germany, in April. 

The tech, which uses Vynamic Smart Vision I Age Verification by Diebold Nixdorf, asks customers whether they consent to the use of the automatic age-recognition technology. If they approve, then a camera analyzes their facial characteristics to determine their age. 

Once the age is verified and determined to be above the required threshold, the checkout process is allowed to proceed, the company said in a press release. 

“We are delighted that, together with the residents of Freckenfeld, we have been able to develop a new approach to convenient local shopping that optimally meets the needs of our customers with a modern store concept and innovative technologies, while at the same time enabling cost-effective operation," said store operator Benedikt Paul.

Related:Germany’s largest grocery chain rolls out AI age-verification tech