German retailers, Google launch digitization program

The German Retail Federation (HDE) and Google has launched a digitization program for the German retail sector, which was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the federation announced on Thursday.

The digitization program consists of different instruments and is intended to accompany participating companies step by step from the classic offline store to a “hybrid company,” both offline and online, according to HDE.

“The retail trade forms the foundation of our inner cities and makes an essential contribution to social cohesion,” said Stephan Tromp, deputy managing director of HDE.

The aim of the program, which is directed at around 250,000 companies in Germany, is to “strengthen the stationary business with the help of online tools and make it fit for the future,” according to HDE.

The existence of up to 50,000 stores in Germany was threatened, HDE warned. Another reason for the digitization program was that many retail businesses in Germany were only digitalized to a limited extent due to a lack of resources.

“Particularly in the current crisis, retailers need offers that help them to digitize without too much effort,” Tromp said.