• April 2003: Opening of the Future Store
• March 2004: The Future Store welcomes its thousandth tour group
• February 2006: Designation of the Future Store as a "Landmark in the Land of Ideas"
• May 2006: 25,000 guests from 63 countries have visited the Future Store since its opening

A summary of the story behind the Future Store

In the summer of 2002, the METRO Group launched the Future Store Initiative in cooperation with partners in the consumer goods, IT and service sectors. The shared goal is to advance the implementation of forwardlooking technologies in commerce. The Future Store in Rheinberg is a key component of the Initiative. In this test lab for the future, the partners test new technologies under real-life conditions. A number of the innovations that have proven themselves in the Future Store are already being introduced in stores and outlets of several METRO Group retail brands. The systems include Radio Frequency Identification, Self Check-outs and Information Terminals.

Grand opening

The Future Store opened its doors in the spring of 2003. On April 28, supermodel Claudia Schiffer – who was born in Rheinberg – joined METRO Group representatives in inaugurating the supermarket of the future. Official guests included leading figures in local politics and business as well as selected journalists.

An officially designated travel destination

The Future Store has been officially recognized as a place of extraordinary interest: the initiative "Germany – Land of Ideas" designated the supermarket of the future a "Landmark in the Land of Ideas" in the spring of 2006. The federal government and the private sector launched the initiative in order to strengthen Germany’s international reputation as a driving force behind innovation.

Outlook

After four highly successful years in Rheinberg, the METRO Group Future Store Initiative is moving on in order to try and test the future of commerce at another site of the Real sales brand. We will inform you in due time of the opening of the new Future Store.