Have you tried it yet? More automated smart stores are coming to Hungary
Following the positive experience from the opening of Hungary’s first hybrid smart store this spring, Coop Szeged Plc. is now planning to automate additional stores using technology developed by Laurel Ltd., the companies have announced.
Automated smart store in Szeged
According to their joint statement, 8,500 customers have already used the automated night-time shopping system at the Szeged store in just four and a half months. Despite the substantial increase in turnover resulting from the extended 24-hour opening hours, inventory shortages have not risen. The artificial intelligence–based system has also detected three attempted thefts.
The statement quoted István Bessenyei, founder and owner of Laurel Ltd., which developed the technology. He explained that one of the key components of the 247 Shop solution is the Veesion AI-powered camera system, which analyses customers’ movements without facial recognition and instantly alerts the remote monitoring centre of suspicious behaviour or gestures – for instance, if someone hides a product in their bag or consumes it inside the smart store.
Automatic alerts when issues arise
These automatic alerts greatly assist the remote operators who monitor multiple cameras at once, and also support later verification by quickly revealing when, where and how the theft occurred. As a result, unmanned operation actually poses a lower risk than conventional shops, Bessenyei added.
János Kelemen, CEO of Coop Szeged Plc., reported that the new type of store has been performing consistently above expectations since its launch, and the artificial intelligence system has proven reliable in every respect.
At Coop Szeged Plc.’s Szent István Square store, customers are served in the traditional way during the day, while after regular opening hours, the smart store operates entirely automatically, without staff. The unmanned mode can be accessed via a mobile application. The 150-square-metre retail space offers around 4,000 products.
Coop Szeged Plc. was established on 30 November 1999, taking over the activities of the Dél-Tisza ÁFÉSZ cooperative, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. As part of the nationwide Coop chain, the company runs 41 stores across 23 localities in Csongrád-Csanád County. Besides grocery and general retail, it also deals in stationery, toys, catering services, and property rental.
According to publicly available company data, the enterprise employs nearly 500 people. Its net sales revenue reached HUF 14.35 billion (EUR 36.8 million) last year, a 9% increase compared to the previous year. In 2023, the company achieved a post-tax profit of HUF 363 million (EUR 930,000), rising to HUF 431 million (EUR 1.1 million) last year.