Do smart stores really need no staff at all?

Usually not while customers shop. Restocking, cleaning and quality checks still need people — just not at the till. Hybrid concepts deliberately combine service hours with unmanned operation.

How does access work?

Depending on the concept: an open door during the day, entry via bank card, app or customer card. Registered access acts as a deterrent against theft and vandalism.

Are unmanned stores legal in Switzerland?

In principle, yes: without staff, the Sunday work ban of the Labour Act does not apply. However, cantonal shop opening and rest day rules as well as age verification for alcohol and tobacco must be checked per location and solved cleanly with technology.

How is theft prevented?

With a combination of registered access, video surveillance, cashless payment and clean inventory management. Practical experience shows: shrinkage is manageable when processes are right — a core topic of our consulting.

Which technology is winning?

Self-checkout: an estimated 70 % of known concepts rely on self-service tills or app scanning. Camera-based grab & go remains a growing but expensive niche — mainly because of the hardware costs and hesitant customers.

What does it cost to get started?

That depends on floor space, assortment and technology. An honest first assessment comes from our on-site tour: 90 minutes in a real 24/7 shop, checklist included — for CHF 250.

Basics

Smart store concepts at a glance

Smart stores — also called autonomous stores, 24/7 shops or self-service stores — enable shopping without staff. Here you will find the formats, the technology behind them and what applies legally in Switzerland.

The five traits

DHBW Heilbronn, which has been mapping the market systematically since 2021, describes smart stores 24/7 through five traits — with exceptions proving the rule:

Unmanned

No staff is present while customers shop. Restocking, cleaning and quality checks happen in the background — staffing effort shrinks to a few hours per day.

Open 24/7

The store is accessible around the clock — including Sundays and public holidays, when classic stores are closed.

Small footprint («tiny»)

From a few square metres (vending shop) up to about 300 m² (village store). Rural convenience stores typically run 100–300 m² with 1,000–3,000 products.

Cashless

Card and TWINT instead of a cash drawer: less maintenance, no cash on site — and a much smaller burglary risk.

Registration / controlled access

Depending on the concept: open door, entry via bank card, app or customer card. Controlled access acts as a deterrent and enables age verification for alcohol and tobacco.

The four basic formats

The term smart store covers very different store concepts. Four basic formats have emerged:

Walk-in with self-checkout

Customers enter the store, scan their products at the self-service till or via app and pay cashless. The familiar shopping experience without a forced app.

The dominant format: an estimated 70 % of all known concepts rely on it.

Grab & go

Cameras and sensors track what is picked up — payment happens automatically on leaving (model: Amazon Go). The technology monitors goods flow particularly well but is expensive, and many customers shy away from forced apps and loss of control.

A growing but expensive niche: the number of locations is rising, yet the camera technology only pays off at high footfall.

Vending shop & robotics

Several vending machines or a robotic box pick the goods after ordering at a terminal. Smallest footprint, high security — but a limited assortment.

Vending shops are booming in inner-city vacancies, combining several machines into a broader assortment.

Hybrid

Staffed during service hours (advice, staffed till), unmanned and accessible 24/7 otherwise. Combines personal contact with round-the-clock availability.

Considered the format with the greatest expansion potential.

Market assessments based on DHBW Heilbronn's market observation (as of 2025).

What applies legally in Switzerland?

The most important questions from municipalities and operators — briefly put into context. For a specific site, always check with the municipality and canton.

Sundays & opening hours

The Sunday work ban of the Swiss Labour Act (ArG) protects employees — where no staff works, it does not apply. That is the legal lever of the concept. However, cantonal and municipal shop opening and rest day rules may still apply and differ by location.

Alcohol & tobacco

Sale only with age verification: beer and wine from 16, spirits from 18 (some cantons stricter), tobacco nationally from 18. In unmanned stores this is solved technically — for example with automated ID checks on secured fridges or shelves.

Data protection & video surveillance

Video surveillance is permitted if it is proportionate and communicated transparently (FADP). Access and ID data should be collected sparingly and processed securely.

Does it pay off?

Profitability stands and falls with the location — but the cost structure differs fundamentally from a classic store:

Staff costs: The biggest cost block of classic retail shrinks to restocking and maintenance — often done in a few hours per week, sometimes by local partners.
Investment: Technology is needed instead: checkout, access system, video surveillance, cooling. Lean self-checkout solutions keep the entry cost deliberately low — well below camera-based systems.
Opening hours as a revenue lever: 24/7 instead of 60 hours per week: the store also sells early in the morning, in the evening and on Sundays — exactly when classic stores are closed.
Location decides: Footfall, visibility and an assortment for daily needs determine revenue. That is why every serious project starts with an honest location assessment.

Frequently asked questions

Do smart stores really need no staff at all?: Usually not while customers shop. Restocking, cleaning and quality checks still need people — just not at the till. Hybrid concepts deliberately combine service hours with unmanned operation.
How does access work?: Depending on the concept: an open door during the day, entry via bank card, app or customer card. Registered access acts as a deterrent against theft and vandalism.
Are unmanned stores legal in Switzerland?: In principle, yes: without staff, the Sunday work ban of the Labour Act does not apply. However, cantonal shop opening and rest day rules as well as age verification for alcohol and tobacco must be checked per location and solved cleanly with technology.
How is theft prevented?: With a combination of registered access, video surveillance, cashless payment and clean inventory management. Practical experience shows: shrinkage is manageable when processes are right — a core topic of our consulting.
Which technology is winning?: Self-checkout: an estimated 70 % of known concepts rely on self-service tills or app scanning. Camera-based grab & go remains a growing but expensive niche — mainly because of the hardware costs and hesitant customers.
What does it cost to get started?: That depends on floor space, assortment and technology. An honest first assessment comes from our on-site tour: 90 minutes in a real 24/7 shop, checklist included — for CHF 250.

Solutions from our ecosystem

Checkout, age verification, digital signage and the complete concept Dorla — proven in real stores in Toggenburg.

Explore the solutions

From knowledge to your own store

Visit a real 24/7 shop and ask your questions — we share our operating experience since 2021.

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