Edeka wants to drastically reduce the number of people serving sausage and cheese counters – at least that is what several media outlets are reporting. The end of advice and tastings? Not quite.
“You don’t know the name of a piece of cheese? Then just point to it at the counter!” This is how Edeka advertised in commercials in April. The message: The staff at the sausage and cheese counters are happy to help. And: Don’t be afraid! Because according to the campaign, younger customers in particular “often feel unsure when going to the service counter”. It’s not that easy to pronounce the sliced cheese “Ossau-Iraty Brebis-Pyrénées” correctly. Especially not under pressure in front of the experts at the cheese counters.
But in many regions of Germany, the service counters will soon be a thing of the past – at least that is what the major tabloid newspaper “Bild” claims. It asks the alarmist question: “Will the free slice of sausage for children soon be a thing of the past?” At certain times of the day, many Edeka regional companies are relying on the “self-service instead of service” strategy.
The “Bild” newspaper cites the trade journal . On September 5, it wrote that “Edeka is restricting service at counters.” A “strategic shift” is being planned. In future, the supermarket will rely on “flexible counters” that “can be converted to self-service in a short time.” Shopfitters report that new “flexible concepts” have a major advantage: they can “function without staff during off-peak times.”
This would be practical for the supermarket in times of a shortage of skilled workers. More than two thirds of all positions related to the sale of meat could not be filled recently. The Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed this on star-Request. In addition, in the supermarket, master butchers have to take responsibility for unpackaged goods.
Edeka corrects report
The star asked Edeka. Is the heart of German culture of enjoyment – keyword: dinner with sausage and Gouda – really about to have a heart attack?
The Edeka Group consists of seven regional companies. They can make individual business decisions. The fresh food counter with service would have to die seven deaths to disappear completely. But Edeka headquarters corrected it: The report in the Lebensmittelzeitung was “unfortunately misinterpreted”. Then the press spokesman stated emotionally: Fresh food counters with service “are not up for discussion at all!” Edeka Südwest also denied the report in the “Bild” newspaper. From southern Bavaria, it is said that they are even investing more in service counters: for example, they are training employees to be ham and cheese sommeliers.
The Edeka regional company Minden-Hannover, which has the highest turnover, does not dismiss the report as false. However, the spokeswoman stresses that serving meat, sausage and cheese “remains an important element”. The company covers the federal states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony, among others. There are 630 independent Edeka retailers there. They can decide for themselves whether they want to operate service counters.
The secret of the “hybrid counters”
Another supermarket spokesperson emphasises that customers appreciate the “personal advice”. Who has not had the counter staff explain the advantages of Wensleydale, Caerphilly and Tilsiter to them? The question is actually not entirely trivial. Because some customers obviously do not feel the need to get into conversations about cheese and sausage. The younger generations in particular seem to appreciate self-service counters – at least that would explain the Edeka campaign, which is intended to encourage people to visit the counter.
Some Edeka spokespersons admit that they are planning to set up “hybrid counters” in some regions. The sausage and cheese varieties on offer there would also be available for self-service. This would expand the target group. These would probably be customers who do not need personal advice.
In the end, all supermarket visitors should be happy. Even parents who need advice on sausage and cheese. Because Edeka Südbayern assures: “The Bavarian yellow sausage is available […] continue to be for the children at the Edeka counter.” So all the excitement is in vain. In the spirit of the Edeka campaign: “Theke it easy.”
Source: Stern
