Supermarket's futuristic outlet

Future Store may be the greatest thing to have happened on the River Rhein since Siegfried slew the dragon. Customers at the Future Store can use a number of gizmos that promise speed, comfort, and even a bit of fun: scales with digital cameras that can differentiate tomatoes from apples, so as to weigh and price them; multimedia kiosks that provide information about select foods and wines in the store; and carts outfitted with a small computer and display with an integrated scanner that allows you to call up the day's sales bargains and tally your own purchases, as well as help you navigate the store. The innovation doesn't stop there: "smart shelves" alert staff to replenish items that are running low or are sold out, while wireless tags, so far only on some products, promise someday to altogether eliminate the tedious task of scanning manually for price.