The Vice Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia visits real,- Future Store

18th May 2009

Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, Vice Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia and Minister for Innovation, Science, Research and Technology visited the real,- Future Store in Toenisvorst.

A METRO Group employee
explains the Mobile Shopping
Assistant to Minister Pinkwart

Dr. Gerd Wolfram, managing director of MGI, led Professor Pinkwart and other guests through the hypermarket of the future. In so doing, he explained the numerous projects, such as the Mobile Shopping Assistant (MSA). The Minister subsequently tested the so-called "sound shower", a loudspeaker that emits focused sound in a defined area. Further highlights on the tour were, among others, the Beauty Terminal, as well as the butcher shop concept with intelligent quality assurance using the RFID technology.

Innovative thought and actions have a future

"Sound experience" in the
real,- Future Store -
the sound shower in
the electronics department

Pinkwart shows enthusiasm, following the approximately one-hour tour: "Particularly in the time of a global economic crisis, opportunities for innovative thought and action arise for companies. The real,- Future Store is good proof of this," according to the Minister. "I'm certain that this farsightedness will pay off. With the next economic boom, they'll be ahead, because today they're investing in the most modern technologies."