Gyeonggi-do Issues Administrative Order to Suspend Tasting Corners in Large Retail Stores...Nation's First

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has issued an administrative order to suspend the operation of tasting corners within large retail facilities in the province.

Although the government has recommended suspending or minimizing the operation of tasting and cosmetic testing corners within large retail facilities through detailed social distancing guidelines, Gyeonggi Province is the first to restrict them by administrative order.

According to the implementation of the government's strengthened social distancing level 2, Gyeonggi Province announced on the 2nd that, as an additional measure at the provincial level, it has issued a gathering restriction administrative order to suspend the operation of tasting corners within large retail facilities in the province from the 1st until further notice.

The gathering ban applies to tasting corners operating in a total of 925 locations, including ▲107 large marts ▲23 specialty stores ▲10 department stores ▲44 shopping centers ▲10 complex shopping malls ▲113 large-scale stores ▲618 quasi-large-scale stores including corporate supermarkets.

Accordingly, these stores may conduct general sales activities, but the operation of tasting corners and tasting activities are prohibited.

Violations may result in fines of up to 3 million KRW for business owners under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and fines of up to 100,000 KRW for users. The fines will be imposed starting October 13 after a guidance period.

A provincial official stated, "In accordance with the government's strengthened social distancing, we have added targets for administrative orders on our own," and requested, "Although it will cause pain and inconvenience, please understand that this is an unavoidable measure to enhance quarantine effectiveness."

Previously, Homeplus and Lotte Mart suspended the operation of tasting corners from the 30th of last month, but concerns about infection were raised as some stores within large retail outlets continued to operate tasting corners.

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