Fressnapf pushes urban stores in Germany as PNI tests checkout-free retail in Bulgaria

Pet retailers in Europe are continuously refining their retail strategies, launching new store formats beyond traditional setups as they look to address changing consumer needs.

Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo

The German-headquartered pet retailer launched its urban store concept in its home country for the first time on 20 August, following rollouts in other markets.

The new Fressnapf City store, located in Munich-Schwabing, approximately 570 km south of Berlin, spans about 115 square meters of retail space. According to the company, it offers a “curated product range” tailored to the needs of urban customers, complemented by digital services such as Click & Collect.

“We are creating a format that intelligently combines personal advice, relevant product ranges, and digital services,” says Adriano Iemma, Sales Director Germany.

For Iemma, this store format brings Fressnapf even closer to its customers’ everyday lives.

In addition to the new urban store, the retailer opened a new city-center location in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro district this August. It also plans to launch a new Maxi Zoo store in October in Fields, Denmark’s largest shopping center.

Previous launches

The German debut follows the opening of its fourth urban store in Warsaw, Poland, in June. The Maxi Zoo Polska Urban Store has 233 square meters of retail space.

Earlier this year, Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo opened its second urban store in France, located in Lyon, approximately 425 km southeast of Paris. The store spans 145 square meters.

The European pet retailer first introduced the concept last year with one store in France and another in Denmark. The first French location opened on Boulevard Voltaire in Paris, while the Danish store was launched on Amagerbrogade in Copenhagen. These units range from approximately 100 to 200 square meters.

Pet Network International

Croatian pet retail group Pet Network International (PNI) is “futureproofing” its retail strategy by launching an autonomous pet shop in Bulgaria.

The new store concept, developed by Dr. Stefanov, one of its pet retail brands, offers pet owners a fast and seamless shopping experience supported by smart technology, “providing greater convenience and flexibility,” the Zagreb-headquartered company says. 

Shoppers can access the store by scanning a QR code through a mobile app. The app also lets customers scan QR codes on product packaging, automatically adding items to their carts.

“Autonomous pet shops bring together technology, convenience and retail innovation to create a frictionless shopping experience, from entering the store to finding the right products and completing your purchase, without the need for traditional staff-operated checkout,” the company says.

Founded in 2018, PNI operates more than 200 stores and e-commerce platforms across Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Bulgaria.