Hungary’s smart retail revolution has reached supermarket scale, with Szeged opening what is being presented as the country’s first staffless supermarket. The new Coop Szeged store on Temesvári Boulevard operates as a conventional shop during staffed hours before switching to an automated mode, allowing registered customers to shop without cashiers or sales assistants.
A supermarket that stays open
The 470-square-metre store stocks more than 6,000 products, meaning customers can do a full grocery shop rather than simply pick up a handful of items from vending machines. Outside normal opening hours, customers registered with the 247 Shop app can enter using a QR code. They select their goods from the shelves and pay by bank card at a self-service checkout, writes 24.hu.
To leave, they scan a code displayed on their receipt or available in the app. A remote dispatcher is available if customers need assistance. The system combines traditional retail with technology rather than eliminating staffed shopping altogether. During regular opening hours, the store operates normally, while the automated system extends its availability into the evening and overnight.
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AI keeps watch
Although no employees are physically present during the automated period, the supermarket is not left completely unattended. Its camera surveillance system is supported by artificial intelligence, which can detect and flag suspicious incidents. A remote dispatcher monitors the store and can intervene when necessary or assist customers.
Coop Szeged chief executive János Kelemen said the company’s first hybrid smart shop, which opened at Szeged’s Szent István Square in May 2025, had provided encouraging results. During its first year, the smaller 150-square-metre shop recorded more than 27,000 purchases during staffless periods. The average basket value was around 22% higher than during conventional opening hours, while 24-hour operation generated 23.61% additional revenue, according to the company.
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Could the model spread?
Coop Szeged studied similar hybrid shops in the Czech Republic before introducing the concept. Kelemen said the experience had shown that customers were willing to change their shopping habits, with some deliberately choosing staffless hours.
The model could also have applications beyond larger cities. Kelemen suggested that smaller settlements could benefit from shops operating with limited staffing, particularly where maintaining a conventional grocery store is difficult. Such a system could allow residents to shop locally rather than travelling 20 or 30 kilometres to the nearest supermarket.
Kelemen does not expect every Hungarian shop to become staffless within a few years. However, the company hopes the hybrid model will spread beyond Szeged and eventually become a more familiar feature of Hungarian retail.
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