German retailer Edeka has said that its online supermarket, Bringmeister, is introducing a new service that will see groceries delivered straight into customers’ homes.
In partnership with Cary Services, shoppers will now be able to order their groceries on Bringmeister’s website and have them delivered without needing to be at home.
Cary has developed a new Smart Lock system, which will give service providers time-limited access to a user’s home, with electronic keys.
With this technology, Bringmeister delivery drivers can bring orders into customers’ hallways, cupboards or refrigerators, as directed.
The lock system is now available for €9.99 per month.
Delivery Expansion
Edeka says that this service is a first in Germany, however, similar systems have been developed in the US.
Last September, Walmart announced plans to test a new home-delivery service that brings groceries straight into customers’ fridges, while online rival Amazon is also developing a system that will allow it to deliver packages into customers’ homes.
Bringmeister has been part of the Edeka network since January 2017, and since then has expanded its online grocery delivery services.
The company began offering same-day delivery in Berlin last August, before expanding the service to Munich in December.
This was seen as a counter to online retail giant Amazon, which launched its AmazonFresh grocery service in Berlin last year, and has since expanded it to Hamburg and Potsdam.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
