Like other convenience stores across China, the shelves of a BingoBox outlet in Shanghai are lined with instant noodles, beer, and bags of traditional snacks such as duck neck. But one thing is missing — the staff.
Just as China’s rising labour costs — now higher than Latin America — pushed manufacturers to add robots to their production lines, retail in China is becoming more automated. “People are a big cost,” said BingoBox’s founder Chen Zilin.
The Chinese retailer has taken pole position in a race to build unmanned shops, with more than a dozen in operation and hundreds more planned. Meanwhile, the unstaffed Amazon Go store has yet to open to the public.
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