EuroCIS 2025, held in Dusseldorf, demonstrated how modern technologies are transforming commerce, making it more efficient, customer-friendly and resilient to future challenges.
This year, CEO of VERNA Oleg Mashkov took part in EuroCIS 2025, the leading European exhibition of retail technologies.
Artificial intelligence as a driver of operational efficiency in retail, process optimization at point of sale (POS) and seamless checkout (Seamless Checkout), and omnichannel strategies, became the focal points of the event, attracting more than 14,000 visitors from around the world. The exhibition also showcased innovations in areas such as loss prevention, the payment process, cybersecurity, and gastronomy in retail.
The focus of the exhibition was smart shops and innovative solutions within dedicated areas such as the Food Service Innovation Hub, helping trading companies adapt to changing market conditions. This year, EuroCIS gathered a record number of participants — 500 exhibitors from 37 countries who presented the latest technologies for the future of retail.
Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important in retail. According to KPMG-studie 2023, 78% of retailers recorded an increase in the number of cyberattacks.
The international retail group Schwarz alone, which operates grocery supermarkets under the Lidl and Kaufland brands, suffered up to 350,000 cyber attacks every day last year.
Many retailers are responding to this by implementing IT security training programs to raise awareness of their employees. Due to the urgent need for solutions to fight cybercrime, EuroCIS introduced for the first time a dedicated Cybersecurity Hub area.
The central theme was the EU directive NIS-2, which entered into force in early 2023 and is due to be implemented into German law by March 2025. It now covers not only critical infrastructure operators, but also companies that are considered “important objects”, including online marketplaces and large retail chains with complex IT systems.
What a practical implementation of cybersecurity requirements might look like, KPMG demonstrated with the example of the digital twin model: it increases cyber resilience because infrastructures are modeled in the metaverse, cyberattack scenarios are simulated, and the response to them is worked out in real conditions. Also in the security area were presented solutions from XM Cyber, ServiceNow and Saviynt.
XM Cyber is a cybersecurity company. It develops solutions to proactively identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems. Uses the “red attack” model to simulate real hacker attacks and helps companies test their resilience to cyber threats.
ServiceNow is a provider of cloud solutions for business process automation. This company offers a platform for managing IT services, automation of work processes, as well as for cybersecurity and risk management, which allows companies to organize their internal processes efficiently.
Saviynt is a company specializing in identity and access management (IAM) and privilege management. It offers solutions for protecting enterprise data and securing access to critical systems based on security policies that enable companies to effectively manage access across environments, including cloud infrastructures.
At EuroCIS 2025, many new solutions in the field of video analytics were presented, which VERNA has been implementing for many years.
We saw a continuation of the trend in video analytics — the replacement of traditional CCTV cameras with radar and lidar sensors. Whereas before video cameras were used to count visitors, monitor queues and monitor personnel, LiDAR and mmWave radars are now increasingly used.
Radar sensors detect movement even in darkness, smoke or behind obstacles. Lidars create a 3D map of space, eliminating errors and extraneous objects. Give the opportunity to fix the visitor's path. They do not record videos, which ensures privacy. In addition, the radar signal can be reflected from the badges of employees, which allows you to accurately identify staff among visitors.
Another development that is interesting to our customers and on which we have been working for a long time is the system for monitoring the fullness of shelves. It uses Wi-Fi cameras that attach to a bar with electronic price tags and point to a rack opposite. The camera has a viewing angle of about 90 degrees and covers 1.5—2 meters of shelf width with a passage of 2 meters.
The device runs on batteries, the charge of which is enough for 4000 pictures, and the batteries themselves can be easily replaced. The camera takes 3-5 pictures a day and transmits them to cloud storage. The system allows you to track whether products are on the shelf.
The software is focused primarily on sellers, and some systems even show the optimal route from the shelf in the trading room to the warehouse where the desired product is located.
Several companies have introduced the latest developments of autonomous robots equipped with cameras and artificial intelligence systems. These robots move through the trading room, scan the shelves and analyze their fullness with the goods, detect missing or incorrectly placed positions, as well as record the condition of the packaging and the conformity of price tags.
In addition, such systems can monitor the level of cleanliness in the trading area, track the movement of buyers to improve the presentation of products, and provide analytics on the effectiveness of merchandising. The integration of robotic solutions allows retailers to significantly improve the accuracy of inventory management, reduce losses due to product shortages, and improve the overall customer experience.
Various innovative solutions in the field of Smart Shopping carts contribute to the improvement of the customer experience, as well as help to analyze the behavior of consumers during purchases.
So, the Dutch company Scala introduced the touch technology “Lift & Play”, which, when lifting the product from the shelf, automatically displays the corresponding content on the digital screen. This dynamic interaction provides buyers with up-to-date information, which helps in making purchase decisions.
Another solution from Scala is the “Grocery Gondola,” where shoppers can get product information, view recipes and scan mobile coupons just by touching the shelves. Mini screens on the edges of the shelves highlight individual products and recommend related products.
Equipped with large touch screens and barcode scanners on the handle, smart carts allow shoppers to scan items on their own while shopping. For retailers, it also creates an additional point of contact with customers.
At the EuroCIS2025 exhibition, leading manufacturers presented current models of such shopping carts. There is a trend towards modular solutions that can be adapted to the size of the store and specific business goals.
Market leaders Expresso and Geck, presented both full-fledged systems with integrated weighing technology, and budget versions without additional safety features.
In addition, units for upgrading regular shopping carts were introduced—they contain a touch computer and a barcode scanner that can be easily installed on a standard shopping cart.
Modern All-in-one smart shopping carts are equipped with touch weighing modules that allow you to constantly monitor the weight of goods in the cart. To improve security, AI-enabled cameras and Computer Vision technology are used to automatically recognize goods.
One of these solutions is the Wanzl “Fast Laner” smart trolley, which has a built-in anti-theft system.
Paying for purchases directly on the touch screen of the cart through the store's app or NFC connection (by bank card) is already technically possible. It is expected that the first full implementations will occur after the completion of NFC certification.
Already being tested in FamilanDost, the SnapCart smart cart from Shopreme. Its tablet PC with built-in removable scanner is removed from the dock and attached to the handle of the cart. The Clip-on-scanner from Hanshow, presented at the exhibition, works on the same principle. Both solutions are designed for the gradual and economical renewal of existing shopping carts at the retailer.
Smart carts are also an ideal platform for implementing intelligent advertising solutions. With wireless communication between displays, scanners and ceiling sensors, stores can:
• Determine the location of the cart in the trading room
• Display personalized product recommendations in real time
• Integrate into Digital Signage - a digital advertising display system that uses electronic screens to display various types of content, including video, images, text, as well as interactive elements.
For example, “Ultimate Shopper” from Geck uses a transmitter-receiver model, which allows you to carry out constant customer localization in real time using infrared light. Built-in navigation in the display determines the optimal route through the store and shows discounts on products near the cart. In the artificial intelligence solution of the startup Catch, a hand-written shopping list is enough to calculate the route and show the corresponding media advertising offers.
For retailers, digital carts are becoming a key customer retention tool.
Smart cart manufacturers believe that in the future there will be demand for those solutions that are easiest to use, evolve with retail, and provide the best opportunities for personalization.
One of the main areas at the exhibition is Artificial Intelligence and it is not only classic application areas such as inventory replenishment, pricing, forecasting and inventory management. Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, is a new stage that speeds up and simplifies business processes in commerce and significantly improves customer orientation.
Modern technologies in the retail sector are increasingly focused on automation and improving the user experience. One of the leading solutions in this field is the innovative self-service cash register solution developed, in particular, by Toshiba.
This solution combines a wide range of functionalities to optimize the shopping process. Integrated weight sensors allow you to automatically determine the weight of the goods, and two side cameras with computer vision carry out product identification, minimizing the need for manual scanning of bar codes. Additionally, the two front cameras at the buyer's eye level use biometric identification technologies for facial recognition.
The device is also equipped with a built-in payment module, which provides convenience and speed of transactions. Thanks to the support of biometric payments, registered users can make automatic payments in a contactless way — it is enough to pre-enter their biometric and banking data into the system.
This technology significantly improves the efficiency of retail outlets, reduces queues and minimizes the need for staff involvement, while providing a high level of security and personalized customer service.
Also at points of sale, retail seeks to ensure safety. According to the EHI study “Inventurdifferenzen2024”, the total losses of German retail due to inventory differences in 2023 amounted to 4.8 billion euros. Practice shows that thefts are often carried out by organized groups. Because in this way, losses of several thousand euros can quickly be generated.
There are special solutions for the protection of goods. New Alpha product protection solutions presented by Checkpoint Systems at EuroCIS are equipped with GPS. If the product along with the protective device is stolen from the store, you can immediately activate real-time tracking via the web service. Stolen products can be tracked using Alpha-GPS for several months. The data collected in this case can be transferred to law enforcement agencies to eliminate criminal groups. This technology can also be used in logistics and inventory management.
To prevent attempts to remove or disable Alpha protection without authorization while at the checkout, Alpha DeArm technology uses two-factor authentication, which protects against illegal unlocking devices such as homemade or purchased black market magnetic locks. If the products have not been unlocked using an official deactivator, the security system activates the alarm.
In addition, the new multi-component system allows real-time tracking of goods within a defined zone. If the protected product leaves this area, an alarm sounds. The same happens in the opposite case — if goods stolen elsewhere end up in the store, because the system can recognize blocking signals using so-called “Buster-bags”.
It is often assumed that it is in the Self-Checkout area that the number of thefts is much higher, although this has not yet received definitive confirmation. That is why some technology companies have presented at EuroCIS solutions to prevent losses in SCO terminals, while increasing comfort for buyers. For example, Rapitag smart security tags are automatically unlocked after payment, ensuring seamless service processes.
Artificial intelligence solutions for SCO now extend to controlled cashiers and the retail hall to support employees in recognizing fresh produce or to protect employees from potential customer conflict situations, such as age verification with AI. By using an integrated artificial intelligence solution in combination with store and checkout area monitoring systems, it is also possible to detect and prevent discrepancies in inventories, such as when customers do not scan goods or they register incorrectly. In addition, SHI also helps detect misplaced objects or liquids in passageways that can cause accidents or obstructions.
Technological solutions from Toshiba and GK Software help to recognize inadvertent or deliberate scan avoidance, as well as scan incorrect barcodes on self-service terminals. Toshiba uses cameras that combine computer vision and artificial intelligence to notify shoppers on a screen if an item has not been scanned correctly, without the need for staff intervention. Through the use of Edge Computing, data is processed without delay, which allows systems to remain functional even in the event of network failures.
Edge Computing is an approach to data processing in which computing resources are placed as close as possible to the data source or to the user, instead of sending all the data to remote servers or to the cloud for processing. This allows you to reduce latency, improve system response speed, and reduce network load as data is processed locally, on a device or on a small computing platform that is near the data source.
The theme of Seamless Checkout has also been every step of the way: automated checkout solutions, smart cards and electronic price tags (ESL) demonstrate how strongly commerce is oriented towards digitalization, especially with a focus on improving efficiency.
Itab has introduced “Itab Vision” the world's first patented hybrid cash desk. With the click of a button, it transforms in a few seconds from a classic cash desk into a fully equipped area with two self-service terminals and a retail unit. Thus, retailers can flexibly respond to high customer flow during peak hours and at the same time reduce costs through improved staff utilization.
Digital Signage is also an important part of the various mobile robots that were presented at EuroCIS 2025.
600 “Tory” robots from Metralabs are already in use in trade around the world.
They have large LED screens on the front and back, on which, depending on the location, the corresponding advertisements or special offers are shown.
Thanks to the AI-based language model, customers can interact with the device, receive additional information about products, or be directed to the desired products that customers are looking for in the store.
“Tory” by Metralabs scans shelves when displaying advertisements and provides information about the availability of goods, their current price, as well as the correspondence of the actual location of products to a pre-developed planogram - a detailed graphical or digital layout plan that takes into account optimal placement, number of units, price tags, promotional materials and marketing principles engineering to improve sales efficiency.
Similar functions have a series of robots “Bella Bot” from Almex Robotics. These mobile robots move autonomously through stores and show advertising images and videos on 18.5-inch screens. In gastronomy, they can announce the names of the dishes that are transported on an integrated tray.
Automation of attendance and staff performance controls can help retailers manage staffing efficiently, increasing efficiency with tailored shift schedules, while improving employee satisfaction and retention.
New intelligent solutions for scheduling working hours were presented at EuroCIS, such as Vertical Cloud Solution's “Gastromatic” software specially designed for gastronomy, which uses algorithms to create optimal shift schedules. This takes into account regulatory requirements, individual capabilities of employees and fair distribution of working hours. Swedish company Quinyx has also introduced AI-based tools that take into account both production requirements and employee preferences.
Mobile robots are just one example of the trend towards automation in the offerings of commercial gastronomy. Intelligent ordering systems, automated payment processes and innovative robotic solutions for merchant gastronomy have become the focus of the Food Innovation Hub at EuroCIS 2025.
Self-ordering terminals, smart vending machines for preparation and sales, as well as robotic solutions aim to optimize the customer experience and make processes more economical in the face of a shortage of skilled workers.
Also, AI-based and networked systems will play an important role in the future. For example, the MKN company focuses on integrated and centrally controlled large kitchen appliances through an online platform that allow even unskilled personnel to prepare high-quality dishes. These devices save energy, should improve the use of resources and minimize possible errors.
Wiesheu presented a new automated bakery station “Hi, bread”. The modular system improves the baking process, from preparation to baking and presentation of finished products. The transport trolley ensures the feeding and transportation of the pastries, while optical recognition of the goods minimizes errors in service. The system can be adapted to different conditions in supermarkets, bakeries and gas stations.
Smart refrigerators such as Conexify now offer automated inventory registration in real time, as well as seamless and convenient payment processes. Thanks to the built-in weight sensors, the system accurately determines which products have been removed or returned, which allows you to effectively monitor the availability of goods, replenish stocks on time and reduce losses.
To pay for purchases, customers can use credit and corporate cards, as well as mobile applications, which provides a quick and convenient experience without the need to communicate with the cashier. Such technologies contribute to the automation of retail trade, increase the level of service and optimize the management of commodity balances.
Startup Menoovo implements innovative solutions to improve customer consultations with the help of a conversational menu. Thanks to the interactive format, users get access to useful information in a convenient way, which increases the level of service and brand trust. In short videos, available in ten languages, guests can learn details about the origin of the products, the peculiarities of their production and recommendations for use.
A separate important element was the digital CHI sommelier, which analyzes the preferences of the buyer and helps to choose wines, strong drinks or other alcoholic products according to individual tastes, dishes or a specific case. This allows customers to easily navigate a wide range and make more informed purchases.
At the EuroCIS exhibition, “Hallo Café” was of particular interest — an intelligent robotic coffee shop, which occupies only 2.5 square meters and operates completely autonomously, without the participation of staff.
The robotic coffee shop is equipped with advanced technologies and combines robotics, artificial intelligence and digital technologies. The system uses precise dosing algorithms for coffee, water and milk, which ensures a stable taste of drinks regardless of the time of day or the number of orders. Intelligent sensors monitor every step of the preparation, from grinding the beans to the serving temperature, ensuring that customers always get the perfect coffee.
The ordering process is as simplified as possible and adapted to the current trends of contactless service. Customers can place an order through a mobile application or an interactive kiosk, which avoids queues and reduces waiting time to a minimum. Thanks to the integration with electronic payment systems, payment is fast and without delays, which makes the use of the coffee shop convenient for people who value their time.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) of 2019, which comes into force in June 2025, sets new standards for retail, primarily regarding the requirements for payment terminals. More than 120 million people with disabilities live in Europe, so affordable payment solutions are extremely important.
Many exhibitors have presented cash terminals with new accessibility features. For example, Verifone's “Navigator” payment terminal is equipped with tactile and audio functions that allow visually impaired people to make payments on their own and safely.
Itab has presented its new hybrid cash register “ITAB Vision”, which can be flexibly adapted for barrier-free access. Its height and depth meet EAA standards, so it is convenient for people in wheelchairs to use it.
New developments have also appeared in the field of keyboard navigation for self-service terminals: the “EAA Pad” from Anker Solutions allows you to intuitively control the process using the button panel of the headphones.
These innovations demonstrate how retail can create a barrier-free and comfortable shopping experience for all customers.
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