Ministry of SMEs and Startups to Pilot 5 Unmanned 'Smart Super' Stores

Development of Smart Supermarket Operation Model as a Pilot Project This Year... Full-Scale Expansion from Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Park Young-sun, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) announced on the 22nd that it will launch a pilot project for the 'Smart Supermarket Construction Project' to support the smart transformation of neighborhood supermarkets in response to changes in the distribution environment such as the expansion of non-face-to-face consumption.

Smart Supermarkets are hybrid stores operated with staff during the day and unmanned at night. Neighborhood supermarkets selected as pilot stores will be supported in introducing smart technologies necessary for unmanned stores, such as smart gates for entry authentication, unmanned checkout counters, and security systems. Improvements in store management techniques through distribution experts will also be promoted.

Smart Super

Since the Ministry is operating this as a pilot project this year, five smart supermarkets will be selected from Nadulgaege stores to develop an operation model, and the project will be expanded in earnest from next year. Using the location analysis function of the Small Business Commercial Area Information System, stores with high nighttime foot traffic and strong sales potential will be prioritized for selection. Some large convenience store chains that have already introduced unmanned store technology will also participate in this pilot project to build a win-win unmanned store incorporating the technology and transfer smart technology and store operation techniques to neighborhood supermarkets.

The Smart Supermarket Construction Project is being promoted to enhance the self-sustainability of local commercial districts, where neighborhood supermarkets are facing increasing closures due to lack of capital and inability to respond, while large distribution companies such as convenience stores quickly adapt to recent changes in the distribution environment like non-face-to-face and digitalization by expanding unmanned stores and online channels. Neighborhood supermarkets are a typical working-class business operated by family labor and operate for more than 16 hours a day. The introduction of smart unmanned stores is expected to improve the welfare level of small business owners by allowing evenings with family and enhance profitability through additional late-night sales. Park Eun-joo, head of the Small Business Management Support Division at the Ministry, stated, "With the introduction of smart supermarkets, the government will actively support ensuring small business owners have evenings off and improving their profit structure through additional sales."

Nadulgaege stores wishing to participate in this smart construction project can apply by mail or email from July 23 to August 6.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.