Swiss Grocer Denner Rolls Out 200 Cleaning Robots

Swiss discount retailer Denner is deploying 200 PUDU CC1 cleaning robots across its store network, marking a significant push to automate maintenance tasks. The move follows a successful pilot program and underscores a strategy to improve in-store hygiene while freeing up staff for customer-facing responsibilities.

The partnership, facilitated by regional distributor Robobee, signals a shift toward practical automation within the Migros Group subsidiary. Pudu Robotics CEO Felix Zhang noted that the deployment addresses the dual challenge of maintaining high cleanliness standards for fresh produce sections while reducing the physical workload for store employees. The scaling of this project from four test locations to a wide-reaching rollout indicates that the robots have proven both reliable and safe in a high-traffic retail environment.

Dario Himmelsbach, CEO of Robobee, emphasized that the implementation required custom adjustments to ensure the technology functions effectively in complex store layouts. Christian Staub, Head of Sales at Denner, confirmed that the primary objective of introducing these automated helpers is to reallocate employee time toward other essential store tasks, ensuring that store cleanliness remains a priority without compromising service levels.