Hefei in Anhui launches robot-run stores in commercial districts

People shop at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A robot grabs a bottle of electrolyte water and delivers to a customer at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A robot grabs a bottle of electrolyte water from the shelf at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A robot grabs a bottle of electrolyte water from the shelf at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A robot works at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A robot grabs a bottle of electrolyte water and delivers to a customer at an embodied intelligence robot store at Leijie Street in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 26, 2026. Four embodied intelligence robot stores equipped with wheeled humanoid robot shop assistants have officially opened in several cultural, tourism and commercial blocks in Hefei. The robot shop assistants are able to automatically recognize, grab and deliver merchandise to customers. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)