In Sweden, a start-up wants to resuscitate small businesses in remote towns

Sweden is also affected by the closure of convenience stores in its less urbanized areas, like all of Europe.

Here, a pharmacy in Sundbyberg, near Stockholm, on March 16, 2020 (Illustrative image).

© Jonathan Nackstrand, AFP

Text by: Frédéric Faux

3 min

The phenomenon of the disappearance of small food shops in the countryside and remote areas affects many European countries, but in Sweden, Daniel Lundh has developed a concept of a fully mobile store where you pay with your phone. .

This Swede wants to revive local establishments with his start-up Lifvs, of which 20 shops are active throughout the country, with a new one every two weeks.

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From our correspondent in Stockholm,

The story of the

start-up

Lifvs looks like a “ 

 ”.

Its shops are like a camping mobile home, a box measuring 3 by 9 meters, with a large bay window.

And since there is no one behind the cash register, you have to take out your phone to enter and identify yourself on the application: an icon opens the door, another can start shopping.

Once inside, it looks like a small supermarket, with shelves and refrigerated cabinets: on the shelves, you can find cleaning products, all snacks, dairy products, eggs, but also vegetables, all meats, ice creams, pizzas… In all, 510 different items are there.

The success of this concept begins with the disappearance of these local shops and their concentration, especially in urban areas.

This is a phenomenon that takes place all over Europe and Sweden is no exception.

While there were 8,500 supermarkets in Sweden in the mid-1980s, there are fewer than 4,000 today.

And since the country, especially in its northern part,

, there is therefore a need.

Fully mobile, very low costs, in a very connected country

But there is also a very suitable offer.

Because the store is fully mobile: it can therefore be transported in the back of a truck and placed anywhere, depending on demand.

If the customers don't come, we can move to another location.

The costs are also very low there.

A single manager can manage up to five stores, going from one to another to restock shelves and take inventory.

It was this flexibility that allowed these mini-supermarkets to be installed in places where others had closed, and with similar prices.

Sweden is a very connected country:

are widely used and you can have internet access everywhere.

All Swedes, even the oldest or in the most remote corners, are therefore potential customers.

Facilities requested by mayors of isolated towns

The choice of local is made by the mayors themselves, who contact Lifvs, proposing land.

This often improves life in small towns where the only grocery store has closed, and where it can sometimes be an hour's drive to refuel.

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