From today, in over 8000 Żabka stores, everyone can financially support the activities of the Polish Humanitarian Action and the Polish Red Cross using a card or proximity payment - using a watch or phone. The donations collected in this way will be divided equally between the two charities and support their humanitarian efforts in the face of the war in Ukraine. To donate you must come to the store, at the checkout declare the amount benefiting the organization and make the payment electronically, without having to make purchases.
– Many Ukrainian citizens are our employees, franchisees, or their associates, and we have immediately declared our readiness to provide the necessary assistance, provided transport for their families, and covered the cost of renting apartments. We are also assisting at the border. So far, we have provided financial support and over 200 tons of food and hygiene products worth approx. PLN 1.5 million. At the same time, we are receiving the voices of humanitarian organizations to help responsibly and respond to specific needs. That is why we have offered to make our facilities available and we introduce in all over 8000 stores of our chain the possibility to transfer through a payment card or phone any amount indicated to humanitarian organizations PAH and PCK carrying out aid activities – says Tomasz Suchański, CEO of Żabka Polska Group.
As of March 3 customers on the occasion of a visit to the stores of the Żabka network, have the opportunity to safely transfer donations through cashless payments. You can indicate the amount you choose (the minimum amount is not specified), you do not have to shop in the chain stores. The funds collected in this way will be transferred to the Polish Humanitarian Action and the Polish Red Cross.
– Communities in Ukraine are feeling the brunt of a conflict that has been going on for almost 8 years. The events of recent days have caused fear in the daily lives of people who are forced to leave their homes. Without urgent action, large-scale humanitarian consequences can be expected. Therefore, the Polish Red Cross supports both refugees coming to Poland, providing them with humanitarian and medical assistance, as well as the Ukrainian Red Cross, which helps in Ukraine. 'The financial support of our partners and donors allows us to take immediate action – said Jerzy Bisek, President of the Polish Red Cross.
– As the Polish Humanitarian Action we have been operating in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict in 2014, so we are well aware of the situation of the citizens of Ukraine. However, in the last few days, the situation has changed dramatically and only thanks to the huge response of the Polish society, we can act. We provide food parcels and hygiene and emergency supplies, psychological support, and much more. Thanks to partners such as Żabka, we will be able to work long-term and effectively to help all those in need – says Inez Jaworska from the Polish Humanitarian Action.
Żabka stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian community. The chain among others has already donated more than 200 tons of food and essential hygiene products to the border, in cooperation with such partners as the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Office, Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, Polish Red Cross, and Polish Union of Ukrainians. Help came, among others. to places such as the crisis headquarters of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Office in Korczowa, border crossings Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska, Dolhobyczów-Uhryniv, Zosin and Dorohusk, as well as at the railway stations in Przemyśl and Warsaw. The Żabka franchisees from Przemyśl, Hrubieszów, Oleszyce, Ustrzyki Dolne, and Tomaszów Lubelski are also involved in the aid operations, as they distribute warm drinks and snacks in stores. In other cities, franchisees organize fundraisers and deliver goods in their cars to the border.
The chain has also decided to finance the rental of apartments for the families of its employees, co-workers, and franchisees who bring families to Poland. It organizes transport for families of workers from the border to places of stay in Poland. It will also contribute to the costs of renting apartments for refugees from Ukraine.
In the logistics centers, the chain has set up consultation points where information on the support offered by Żabka can be obtained. It has also launched a special helpline with legal and psychological assistance, is engaged in the search for psychologists who could help families on the spot, and assists in the transport of families of employees, co-workers, and franchisees from the border.
The Żabka Nano is a very flexible concept that allows further unmanned facilities to be built in a variety of locations. Customers and employees of the Decathlon store, the Zdrofit fitness club, and now also the Leroy Merlin GIGAmarket at 244 Jerozolimskie Avenue can benefit from quick and hassle-free shopping. Jerozolimskie 244 in Warsaw. This is the beginning of cooperation between the largest chain of unmanned stores in Europe and a major player in the construction and decorative industry. The common goal is to increase the comfort of customers when shopping.
– Our partners, in cooperation with whom we develop the Żabka Nano concept, are the leaders of particular market segments. We share a common goal - the desire to find more innovative solutions that can further simplify the life of customers. Working with the Leroy Merlin chain opens up new opportunities for knowledge and experience transfer, which is extremely important for us to further improve the Żabka Nanon concept in the store-in-the-store model – says Paweł Grabowski, Head of Unmanned Solutions at Żabka Future.
The assortment in Żabka Nano at Leroy Merlin GIGAmarket in Warsaw includes approx. 400 products. The offer of the store includes among others, Żabka private label products such as Shamamm ready dishes, Tomcio Paluch sandwiches, Foodini liquid snacks, Wycisk juices and lemonades, and freshly ground coffee from a coffee machine. During the pandemic restrictions, only a single person will be allowed to stay in the Żabka Nano at a given time.
– At Leroy Merlin, we have always focused on development, value creation, and cooperation. This applies to our customers, employees, and business partners alike. We are an innovative company, therefore, we not only observe trends in the market, accelerating digitalization or omnichannel purchasing, but we try to be a trendsetter of these activities. Hence the cooperation with the Żabka Group, with which we test the store-in-the-store solution in an innovative variety, i.e. an unmanned Żabka Nano store in the Leroy Merlin omnichannel store. We believe that this solution will increase the comfort of shopping, affecting the satisfaction of customers and the desire to visit our stores. I am convinced that this is not a test case, but the beginning of a long-term cooperation that will meet the expectations of our partner, but above all of our clients - says Anna Paszt, Marketing Director at Leroy Merlin Poland.
The Żabka Nano at the Leroy Merlin GIGAmarket uses an innovative method of authorization and payment for purchases, implemented in cooperation with Adyen. Access to the facility is possible using a payment card - the customer holds it in front of the terminal before entering the Żabka Nano store. Once the process is completed, the door will open automatically. On the first visit, the customer will provide a phone number to receive a text message confirming the purchase. Once the customer is inside, the shopping will only take a moment - they just take selected products off the shelf and leave. The camera system installed in the Żabka Nano uses algorithms of among others machine learning to recognize the products removed from the shelves, charge the appropriate amount, and then automatically finalize the payment using the payment card used at the entrance to the Żabka Nano. The system does not identify customers, nor does it remember the image, which guarantees full privacy and security.
The possibility of shopping in the Żabka Nano will undoubtedly affect the comfort of visitors to Leroy Merlin. In addition to support at every stage of the construction, renovation, or refreshing works, customers will be able to benefit from a unique range of food products tailored to the needs of the buyer. This is helpful because some of the customers not only do the shopping, but use the advice and design services, and good coffee or a healthy snack will be the perfect complement to these activities.
Unmanned Żabka stores are part of the Żabka Future Business Incubator initiative, which combines three elements: managing and searching for innovations, transforming them into new products and services, and commercializing them. The project also fits perfectly with the strategy of the Żabka Group, which assumes the implementation of actions aimed at maintaining climate neutrality - the Żabka Nano uses only the equivalent of green energy for its activities.
Currently, there are 27 Żabka Nano stores, which are located in Gdańsk, Kraków, Piaseczno, Plewiska, Poznań, Sopot, Warsaw and Wrocław. The store-in-the-store model is developed by the Żabka Nano in cooperation with business partners: Decathlon, Zdrofit, and from now - the Leroy Merlin chain of construction and decoration stores.
Żabka Nano is currently the largest chain of autonomous stores in Europe, which constantly surprises customers with new partnerships and locations. As part of the development of the concept, the first unmanned Żabka Nano was launched at the fitness club Zdrofit Bemowo located at 303 Squadron Street in Warsaw. It is a pilot collaboration between Żabka and the largest chain of fitness clubs in Poland, belonging to the Benefit Systems Capital Group.
– Żabka Nano is very flexible, so we can open more autonomous facilities in almost any location. The collaboration with the fitness club network Zdrofit allows us to further improve the concept and be even closer to customers. I believe that sports and active lifestyle enthusiasts will appreciate how quickly and intuitively they can shop in Żabka Nano: no checkouts, queues, or cash – says Paweł Grabowski, Head of Unmanned Solutions at Żabka Future.
The assortment in Żabka Nano at the Zdrofit fitness club has about 300 products. Customers can choose from healthy and nutritious snacks, ready meals, and drinks, which will be ideal as a meal before, during, or after training. The offer of the facility includes among others. products of Żabka private labels, including among others, Szamamm ready dishes, Tomcio Paluch sandwiches, Foodini liquid snacks, Wycisk juices and lemonades, and freshly ground coffee from the coffee machine. The offer will also include products from the portfolio of Maczfit being part of Żabka Group, i.e. balanced lunches, salads, and desserts that provide a healthy and tasty alternative to canteens and fast-food restaurants. During the pandemic restrictions, only a single person will be allowed to stay into Żabka Nano at the same time.
– By developing the Zdrofit Fitness Club chain, we focus on modern infrastructure and innovative solutions, so we are glad that Zdrofit is the first sports facility in Poland with an unmanned Żabka Nano store. As a pilot, our club in Bemowo, Warsaw, will be enriched with a practical solution, facilitating users' access to healthy snacks, drinks, and necessities. I am convinced that our club's customers will appreciate the new facility, providing quick and easy access to the offer of Żabka Nano – says Tomasz Groń, Managing Director of Benefit Systems Fitness Division.
Żabka Nano at the Zdrofit Fitness Club uses an innovative method of authorization and payment for purchases, implemented in cooperation with Adyen. Access to the facility is possible using a payment card - the customer holds it in front of the terminal before entering Żabka Nano. On the first visit, the customer gives the phone number to which they will receive an SMS about the purchase confirmation. When they do this, the door will open automatically. Once the customer is inside, the shopping will only take a moment - they just take selected products off the shelf and leave. The camera system installed in Żabka Nano, using among others algorithms of machine learning, will recognize the products removed from the shelves, charge the appropriate amount, and then automatically finalize the payment using the payment card used at the entrance to Żabka Nano. The system does not identify customers, nor does it remember the image, which guarantees full privacy and security.
Unmanned Żabka stores are part of Żabka Future Business Incubator, which combines three elements: managing and searching for innovations, transforming them into new products and services, and commercializing them. There are currently 26 Żabka Nano stores in 6 cities in Poland. The project also fits perfectly with the strategy of the Żabka Group, which assumes the implementation of actions aimed at maintaining climate neutrality - Żabka Nano uses only the equivalent of green energy for its activities.