Colruyt will open an automated Okay Direct shop on Chaussée de Wavre in Etterbeek by next spring, the retailer announced on Tuesday.
The Hal-based group said the new shop will be the latest in its cashier-free convenience format, which first launched in Belgium in Ghent in 2021.
After five years of experience, Colruyt concluded that the most profitable model was to place a 24-hour Okay Direct next to a conventional Okay store. The traditional supermarket planned for Etterbeek has yet to open.
In the meantime, two of the three existing Okay Direct shops in Ghent will close because they have been operating independently, without the support of a neighbouring standard store.
"The conclusion is now clear: the model that works best is an Okay Direct located next to a traditional shop. We can supply both stores at the same time and deploy staff more flexibly," said Okay managing director An Martel.
Okay Direct, which operates without on-site staff, is particularly suited to urban areas, she said.
Martel added that customers use the format for more flexible shopping and often see the store as an extension of their fridge.
Shoppers enter using their bank card, take the products they want from smart cabinets and receive a receipt once they have finished their shopping.
