A picking device for storing bottles having a plurality of storage locations for bottles, an operating device displaceable in front of the storage locations horizontally in an X direction and vertically in a Z direction, coupled with a control device and having a gripper, at least one storing device which can be used to move bottles into the picking device and from which the operating device can remove the bottles, at least one identification device for identifying bottles, an unloading device to which the bottles are transferred by the operating device for retrieval from the picking device, wherein a plurality of the storage locations has storage location receptacles and the storing device has at least one storing receptacle for bottles, wherein the gripper has a gripping means which is configured such that the bottles are movable from the storing receptacles and storage location receptacles (11, 41) by being lifted by the gripping means, wherein the storing receptacles and/or the storage location receptacles are formed by a plurality of parallel storing struts (43a, 43b) or parallel storage location struts (13a, 13b), and wherein the gripping means has two prongs (32, 33) of fork-shaped construction that are displaceable in a Y direction orthogonally to the X direction and in the Z direction and are configured such that they are movable in the Y direction, at least in sections, into a space defined by the cross-section of the bottle that is to be retrieved and situated below the maximum cross-section, characterized in that the storage location receptacles and the storing receptacles are configured such that the bottles are held therein in a lying position in such a way that they are secured against rolling. a plurality of storage locations for bottles, an operating device displaceable in front of the storage locations horizontally in an X direction and vertically in a Z direction, coupled with a control device and having a gripper, at least one storing device which can be used to move bottles into the picking device and from which the operating device can remove the bottles, at least one identification device for identifying bottles, an unloading device to which the bottles are transferred by the operating device for retrieval from the picking device, wherein a plurality of the storage locations has storage location receptacles and the storing device has at least one storing receptacle for bottles, wherein the gripper has a gripping means which is configured such that the bottles are movable from the storing receptacles and storage location receptacles (11, 41) by being lifted by the gripping means, wherein the storing receptacles and/or the storage location receptacles are formed by a plurality of parallel storing struts (43a, 43b) or parallel storage location struts (13a, 13b), and wherein the gripping means has two prongs (32, 33) of fork-shaped construction that are displaceable in a Y direction orthogonally to the X direction and in the Z direction and are configured such that they are movable in the Y direction, at least in sections, into a space defined by the cross-section of the bottle that is to be retrieved and situated below the maximum cross-section, characterized in that the storage location receptacles and the storing receptacles are configured such that the bottles are held therein in a lying position in such a way that they are secured against rolling.