September 18, 2023, 11:32 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Some Netto customers may notice a change while shopping. The grocery discounter has introduced new shopping carts in some stores. These not only look a bit different but also come with an unusual feature: They can be unlocked via an app. Learn more about it at TECHBOOK.
Everyone knows the feeling: You arrive at the supermarket only to realize you don’t have the right coin to unlock the shopping cart. You’d have to go to the checkout, where the suitable tokens are often already gone, or exchange money. Annoying–but perhaps soon unnecessary. The discounter Netto is leading the way by testing a corresponding app feature.
Unlocking Shopping Carts via App at Netto
In two Bavarian branches of the grocery discounter (on Regensburger Straße in Burglengenfeld and on Bahnhofsstraße in Sünching), it’s already possible to unlock shopping carts without a token or coin. The “innovative additional feature,” as described in a press release, has been integrated into the Netto app. Customers apparently just need to install it on their smartphones.
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Digital System “Hybridloc”
The novel system named “Hybridloc” is celebrating its worldwide premiere in Netto stores, according to the release. To make it usable, the hardware in the relevant stores was upgraded. New shopping carts from the manufacturer Wanzl are now available there. More details about its digital deposit lock can be found on Wanzl’s company website.
The new shopping carts at Netto feature an activation field. To unlock the lock mechanism, customers simply need to hold their smartphone over the field–then shopping can begin. The app doesn’t need to be opened separately for this.
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“The technology is based on near-field communication (NFC), similar to mobile payment,” it continues. Many smartphone users already use this when paying contactlessly, without reaching for their wallet or cardholder. The NFC chip is standard in newer smartphones. You simply hold the phone to the reader at the checkout. NFC also works via smartwatch. Whether the same will apply to the updated Netto app in the future is not mentioned in the press release.
But don’t worry: If all this is too digital for you, you can still unlock the new shopping carts with coins.
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Will Shopping Carts Still Be Returned?
The previous deposit system for shopping carts had a purpose. The temporary “payment”–even if it was just coin amounts–provided an incentive to return the cart to its storage location after shopping, rather than leaving it on the customer parking lot.
How this will be ensured with the new carts is not entirely clear. As Wanzl further explains, alternatives such as “digital voucher coupons for the next purchase” are conceivable.
Other Supermarket Chains Likely to Follow
If the system proves successful, it may only be a matter of time before Netto enables app-based unlocking of shopping carts nationwide in all branches. And Wanzl does not have an exclusive contract with Netto. So, it’s likely that other supermarkets and retail chains will follow suit.