If you look at the picture, there's a very narrow gap between the pillar and the shelf. It's so small that nobody can walk inside or even reach the products. I stood there for a while and wondered, "Why do German people do this?"
I have two ideas. First, maybe it's because of the #planogram system. The staff might have a rule about how many items must be on the shelf. If they move the shelf away from the pillar, maybe some products will disappear from the shop. So, they have to follow the plan strictly.
Second, it might be an Altbau or a renovated old building. This place wasn't a supermarket before. The old pillars don't match with the standard shelves. The staff had to choose between "missing a shelf" or "having a tiny gap." In the end, we got this gap that even a cat cannot walk through na.
Anyway, I think there must be a reason about architecture or engineering. I don't think it's just a special German way to manage space, but it's really interesting to see. I also thought about my country, Thailand. If this happened there, people would surely complain because it's not convenient. They'd take photos and post them on social media or the supermarket’s page to ask for a fix or an explanation.
I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels curious about this, or if anyone else thinks the same as me?
Dr.Natthaphon Jarat
Berlin
