Berliner Tageszeitung - SmartVendor Brings Autonomous Retail to the Czech Parliament; Clears Europe's Toughest Privacy Bar with SHEKEL WeightAI(TM)

PRAGUE, CZ / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2026 / SmartVendor today announced the deployment of an autonomous, AI-powered retail solution inside the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, built on the WeightAI^™ platform from SHEKEL Scales Ltd., the weight-based AI technology and solution provider behind the next generation of autonomous retail.

For public institutions across Europe, autonomous retail has presented a compliance contradiction: the technology that makes unattended stores work typically relies on cameras, and cameras mean GDPR risk. The Czech Parliament resolved that contradiction by choosing a solution built on WeightAI^™. No cameras. No biometrics. No personal data captured at the point of purchase. Full GDPR compliance by design.

The installation, deployed by SmartVendor on the Innovendi Elite platform, marks one of the first deployments of an autonomous AI-powered retail solution inside a major state institution in the Czech Republic. Members of Parliament, staff, visitors, and media present in the building can now access fresh meals, healthy snacks, and functional beverages around the clock through SmartVendor's solution, with no queues, no staff, and no friction at the point of purchase.

The experience is simple by design. Shoppers tap a payment card, open the fridge, select their products, and close the door. WeightAI^™ technology, winner of the 2026 Vendies Award for Best Automated Retail Solution, is embedded at the shelf level, identifies every item by weight, confirms the transaction, and charges the correct amount automatically. The entire process takes under 30 seconds. No image captured. No data retained.

"Public institutions in Europe cannot compromise on privacy, and they shouldn't have to choose between compliance and innovation," said Rami Bahar, CBDO, SHEKEL. "Our partnership with SmartVendor shows what's possible when proven technology meets a partner who understands the local market. WeightAI^™ is GDPR-compliant by design, not by workaround, and it's built to support partners like SmartVendor wherever they need to deploy it."

The assortment was designed with a strong focus on health and local sourcing, featuring fresh nutritionally balanced meals, protein products, freeze-dried fruit, dried meat products, kombucha, and functional beverages, the majority supplied by Czech manufacturers and regional partners.

Operating 24/7 with no on-site personnel, the solution provides SmartVendor with real-time visibility into inventory levels, product expiration, and purchasing behavior, enabling continuous assortment optimization without manual stock checks.

"For SmartVendor, this is an important reference project," said [SmartVendor spokesperson name and title]. "It demonstrates that autonomous retail can operate successfully in environments with high standards for security, operational reliability, and service quality, and do so in a way that supports Czech producers and promotes healthier eating. WeightAI^™ gave us the accuracy and reliability we needed to bring this deployment to one of the most prominent institutions in the country."

[Quote from parliament if they wish]

The Czech Parliament deployment adds to a growing footprint of WeightAI^™-powered installations across Europe, following partnerships with Nayax, HABCO Manufacturing, Scobie McIntosh, and Imbera, among others.

About SHEKEL Scales Ltd.

Shekel Scales Ltd. is a global technology company specializing in precision weighing systems and weight-based artificial intelligence solutions for unattended retail. Its WeightAI^™ platform enables autonomous product recognition, inventory visibility, and secure transaction management across smart retail environments worldwide.

About SmartVendor

SmartVendor is an autonomous retail operator focused on making fresh food and beverages accessible through intelligent, unattended retail. Leveraging AI-powered smart cooler technology, SmartVendor enables consumers to purchase fresh products quickly, securely, and seamlessly in high-traffic locations such as gyms, workplaces, and public spaces. With a rapidly expanding network across Eastern Europe, SmartVendor combines innovative retail technology with data-driven operations to deliver an exceptional customer experience while helping operators maximize revenue, optimize inventory, and scale efficiently.

Contact Information:
Michal Samuels
[email protected]
+972509013502

SOURCE: Shekel Scales 2008 LTD

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

F. Dumont--BTZ