| Entity | Unitree |
|---|---|
| Counterparty | Føtex (Salling Group) / Hive Robots |
| Date | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Status | Training |
| Region | China & Restricted |
Humanoid robots manufactured by the Chinese company Unitree have trained since June at a Føtex grocery store in Lyngby, 12 kilometers north of Copenhagen, to pick up products and stack them on shelves after closing time.
Hive Robots aims for the robots to begin autonomous night restocking by the start of 2027, while Salling Group estimates restocking takes 40-50% of worker time and envisions one or two robots per Føtex store to free staff for customer-focused work. Danish legislation currently does not support independent humanoid operation among shoppers.
Who this affects
- For exporters: Chinese company Unitree manufactures the humanoid robots in training at the Føtex store.
- For investors: Salling Group, operating over 2,000 stores with almost 70,000 workers across multiple countries, targets restocking efficiency through robot support.
- For counsel/compliance: Danish legislation does not currently allow such humanoid robots to work independently among human shoppers, requiring a law change and new safety rules.
- For policymakers: An IMF study published last year estimated about 20% of Denmark’s labor market at risk of AI displacement; the retailer states the goal is support for value-adding activities rather than replacement.
The read
Unitree humanoids are training in a controlled after-hours retail environment where restocking dominates worker time and unemployment stands at 3.1%, testing a service model in which stores pay by the hour rather than buy robots. The requirement for legislative change before unsupervised operation among customers constrains near-term scale, even as Hive Robots reports interest from other European retail chains and a nearer milestone of restocking selected products by New Year’s.
What was the action?
Unitree humanoid robots began training in June at the Føtex store in Lyngby after closing, under Hive Robots’ direction, to replenish shelves using real-world data collected to train AI models for autonomous performance.
What’s the penalty / scope, and how is it set?
No penalty applies. Scope covers controlled after-hours training for shelf replenishment, with planned progression to date checking, cardboard removal, out-of-stock scanning, and misplaced-item detection; Hive Robots intends to supply the technology as a service billed by the hour.
Who else is exposed?
Hive Robots has attracted interest from other European retail chains. Salling Group operates Føtex and Netto in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Training currently avoids fragile items such as glass jars.
What happens next
Hive Robots hopes robots begin autonomous night restocking by the start of 2027, with a nearer target of restocking products such as cans and pastas by New Year’s. Coverage of every Føtex store could take up to five years, dependent on Danish legislative changes allowing independent operation.
Long-tail keywords: Unitree humanoid robots Føtex Lyngby shelf stacking, Hive Robots autonomous night restocking 2027, Salling Group Føtex robot deployment Denmark, Danish legislation humanoid robots shoppers, Chinese Unitree robots European retail, Føtex restocking 40-50 percent worker time, Hive Robots pay-by-hour robot service model
"Eventually we'll work all night, all day. So, maybe it doesn't have to be that fast, it can just continue working."CGTN Report (AP), 2026 →