The following 8 hypotheses summarise which technical possibilities will change the shopping behaviour and especially the behaviour of customers in the checkout area in the long term:

1. Cashless markets (Amazon go, etc.) will come as soon as technology permits. The correct billing of honest customers is just as much a challenge as the containment of theft, robbery and raids during open presentation of goods and the legally compliant delivery of age-protected products. Automated storage and sales equipment is becoming increasingly important.

2. Selfscanning (SCO) is growing – increasingly as a mobile scan via smartphone. Acceptance of self-scanning in the checkout area is not a privilege of the youth. Older people can cope with the technology and enjoy the fact that they can determine the speed of the SCO themselves.

3. Staff in the checkout area are rarely replaced completely. Some of the cashing is done by customers themselves, but other tasks such as product presentation, customer communication and process assurance are added.

4. Payment works by passing. Cashless shopping, long despised in Germany, comes with power. Contactless payment is the catalyst for this. Cash is becoming more and more expensive for retailers and is handled via cash management devices.

5. Locker pick-up stations are reserved at selected locations. The first-class supply of space in Germany speaks against broad coverage.

6. Increased use of indoor and outdoor vending machines guarantees adeed, protection and availability 24/7

7. The home delivery sector is increasingly taking over the supply function for people. Nevertheless, people remain social beings and are increasingly satisfying their communication needs in stationary retail. We have to create opportunities for this.

8. The concentration of large food retailers is slowly coming to an end due to a lack of options. Differentiation is no longer achieved via different sales divisions, but via location-related concepts. This once again proves that “All business is local”.