In Denmark, Unitree humanoids learn at night to stock supermarket shelves

The robots do not work alone yet. A Hive Robots operator wears a virtual reality headset and holds a controller in each hand, guiding the humanoid through the aisles one movement at a time. Each recorded movement is then used to train the machine.

According to Føtex, restocking shelves takes up 40 to 50% of its staff's working time. The chain also says it struggles to recruit young people for these tasks.

The team has published a study with the Technical University of Denmark. The trials it describes did not take place in the store but on a replica of a shelf, with a shelving unit, a trolley and a box of crisp packets.

In early 2027, Hive Robots wants the robots to stock the shelves for certain products on their own at night. The start-up then plans to have them spot missing products, remove empty boxes and check expiry dates.