With a fully-stocked bendy bus, REWE brings groceries to rural Germany

Germany will soon see the arrival of a new mobile shopping experience, as food retailer REWE and railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) pilot a supermarket-on-wheels that they'll drive to the doorsteps of rural communities in northern Hesse.

DB converted an articulated bus (aka a bendy bus) into a grocery store offering a full range of 700 products, including a wide selection of regional and organic goods from Hesse. The bus features extra air conditioning and can be operated for up to eight hours using rechargeable batteries.

Starting in spring, Der REWE Einkaufs-Bus will serve rural areas lacking a supermarket, allowing people to shop without driving long distances. In addition to offering convenience, REWE hopes the bus will fulfill a social function by providing a space where villagers will run into each other.