Germany's REWE Group has been making progress towards 'REWE 2020', its future-proof supermarket concept, Linéaires has reported.
From an initial seven concept stores launched in early 2017, the company carried on the experimentation into this year, with 45 more stores converted to the new concept in 2018.
The new REWE outlet in Weil am Rhein-Haltingen (pictured above) is a good indicator of the changes made by REWE to its stores.
In order to better fit new habits of consumers, the usual layout of the store, with fresh produce at the entrance, has been eschewed and replaced by a sushi bar and a ready-to-eat corner.
The retailer has also altered the architecture of the store themselves, favouring natural light through the introduction of a glass wall entrance. This is something that customers really appreciate, the store's manager Christian Keller told Linéaires.
This is in line with the goal to create a 'new experience' for customers, which is the main goal of the REWE 2020 strategy.
As Stefan Weiss, head of sales at REWE, put it last year, "We want to turn shopping into much more of an experience for our customers. This includes a modern, airy store design with furnishings that create a feeling of lightness and with product worlds that are clearly arranged."
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Matthieu Chassain. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
