By 2025, the primary 50 shops might have self-service checkouts. On the one hand, the grocery store chain needs to accommodate clients who do not need to queue and, however, counteract the scarcity of employees within the retail sector. “Everyone seems to be struggling to get employees,” stated Hofer boss Horst Leitner to the APA.
The Hofer Restricted Partnership is a part of the German group Aldi Süd. The unbiased cashier course of has not but change into established in Austria. “I’m at all times stunned that it’s used so little in Austria,” admitted Leitner. In different nations, nonetheless, that is already working nicely and has to date been higher obtained by clients than initially anticipated.
No want for longer opening hours
The Hofer boss sees no want for longer opening hours. “It can’t be decided that this can be a buyer request,” stated Leitner. Because the corona pandemic, opening hours in shops have tended to say no and the scarcity of employees additionally performs a job right here. Hofer closes branches within the nation in some instances at 7 p.m., in Vienna at round 8 p.m. Rewe Austria boss Marcel Haraszti lately spoke out in favor of increasing opening hours from the present 72 to 80 hours.
The fast development of discounters slowed down with the beginning of the corona pandemic. Concern concerning the virus drove folks to full-range shops like Billa or Spar, the place they might do all the things in a single buy. Market researcher NielsenIQ estimated a market share of twenty-two.9 p.c for Hofer and Lidl final yr, which corresponded to a decline of 0.2 share factors. Leitner contradicts declining market shares.
“We’re experiencing a part of change in non-food”
With round 12,000 workers, Hofer achieved gross sales of 4.9 billion euros in 2023, a development of 6.5 p.c. The natural gross sales share is round 10 p.c. Lately, the discounter has considerably expanded the contemporary produce part for fruit and greens, bread and pastries in addition to the comfort part, whereas considerably streamlining the non-food vary. Whereas ten years in the past the chain made round 1 / 4 of its gross sales with know-how or family home equipment, the non-food sector now solely accounts for round 10 p.c of complete gross sales. That ought to change once more. “We’re experiencing a part of change in non-food. We need to do extra once more,” introduced Leitner.
The deliberate deposit system in Austria can also be an enormous matter within the meals commerce. From January 1, 2025, customers must pay a 25 cent deposit for disposable beverage bottles and cans. Hofer has already outfitted 360 of 540 branches with deposit machines and is presently equipping the remaining areas with deposit options. The prices for renovation work, machines and techniques for the brand new deposit system for the meals discounter quantity to a complete of 128 million euros, for which there’s round 12 million in public funding. “Will probably be an enormous activity to tell customers concerning the new deposit system,” stated the Hofer boss. PET bottles are an “immensely vital uncooked materials”.
PV system on the roof
Hofer has large plans within the space of photovoltaics and electrical automotive filling stations. With a consortium of Austrian power suppliers, electrical charging stations shall be put in in 480 of the 540 Hofer department parking areas by the tip of 2026. A complete of round 1,500 charging factors are deliberate. With Salzburg AG, Hofer will equip 250 retailer roofs with photovoltaics by 2026. The a hundredth department was lately accomplished. On the different Hofer branches, a photovoltaic system on the roof will not be potential as a result of one thing is constructed over it, there may be not sufficient daylight or the roof will not be appropriate for it.
The turquoise-green authorities needs to introduce voluntary animal husbandry labeling for meat within the subsequent few months. “We’d introduce that, following all,” stated the Hofer boss. An acceptable establishment for labeling administration might be, for instance, AMA and marketing. “It’s extremely vital that this occurs in an orderly method,” stated Leitner. “The sooner you begin labeling, the extra the buyer is educated to take a look at how the animal was truly saved.”
Hofer has determined to solely promote meat “from increased animal husbandry” by 2030. “Most likely increased ranges of animal husbandry won’t come fully free within the medium to long run,” defined Leitner. Many farmers must convert or adapt their stables to fulfill increased animal husbandry requirements. In Germany there may be already a four-stage uniform labeling system that has discovered its manner into the meals commerce. The change in Germany is of nice significance for Austrian agriculture as a result of the neighboring nation is by far the most important export marketplace for home agriculture.
