Changes at Edeka: Self-service and flexible counters to replace staffed meat and cheese counters

Edeka, a German supermarket chain, plans to address the personnel shortage in retail by replacing staffed meat and cheese counters with self-service and flexible counters. This change will eliminate the advice from employees, weighing and packaging services, as well as the free sausage for children.

The meat plants will deliver more pre-packaged goods to the stores. Various Edeka regions will implement these changes in new or modernized stores, while some regions will remain unchanged for now.

This decision is a response to the high number of unfilled positions in the retail sector. The move towards self-service and flexible counters in supermarkets raises questions about the future of personal interaction and the potential loss of neighborhood connections.