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

> Since June, the start-up Hive Robots has been testing Unitree humanoids after a Føtex store closed in Lyngby, north of Copenhague, Les Numériques reports.

Published on 2026-10-16

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.

## Sources

- [Les Numériques](https://www.lesnumeriques.com/societe-numerique/le-danemark-teste-des-robots-humanoides-dans-ses-supermarches-pour-soulager-la-charge-de-travail-nocturne-du-personnel-n263325.html)

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