Shaping the future of retailing

The METRO GROUP Future Store Initiative is the driving force behind the technological revolution in retailing. More than 75 companies from the retailing, consumer goods, IT and service sectors are involved in the METRO GROUP initiative, founded in mid-2002. They all share the aim of driving forward the national and international modernization process in retailing. Developing innovative technologies is central to this, as they offer a more comfortable and customer-friendly shopping experience as well as increasing retailing efficiency.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the key technology for future retailing. The METRO GROUP Future Store Initiative is involved in pushing the radio technology and other innovations in a number of ways. An important element is the real,- Future Store in Toenisvorst. In this hypermarket customers can experience future retailing today. The real,- Future Store offers partners the unique opportunity to test newly developed applications for warehouse management and the sales floor under real-life conditions.

At the RFID Innovation Center, METRO GROUP demonstrates how more than 40 different systems like RFID can help optimize processes in practice. In the affiliated European EPC Competence Center, companies can also see RFID’s performance in various areas of application.

The METRO GROUP Future Store Initiative has been presented at a number of international trade fairs and congresses, like CeBIT 2006 in Hanover. On top of that, partners are involved in various international bodies working to lay down universal standards and guidelines for new technologies. RFID can only be successfully introduced if people trust the technology; only then can the technology’s potential be fully realized – to the benefit of customers, manufacturers and retailers.