GS25 Supports 60,000 'Face Shields' Nationwide at Franchise Stores

Additional Support Measures to Overcome Franchisee Crisis 'Cheer Up GS25' Announced
'Special Disaster Relief Fund' Provided to Franchise Owners Affected by Natural Disasters

A GS25 employee is wearing a mask and face shield while assisting a customer.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] GS Retail's convenience store GS25 is providing 60,000 face shields to franchise stores that have suffered difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and consecutive natural disasters. In addition, a special disaster relief fund of up to 1 million KRW will be given to store owners affected by natural disasters.

GS25 announced on the 15th that it has prepared an additional support plan called "Cheer Up GS25" based on these measures.

Since the 12th, GS25 has been sequentially distributing a total of 60,000 face shields to about 14,000 franchise stores nationwide. This is the fourth infection prevention supply support following KF-certified health masks and health supply kits provided to franchise stores three times since the first COVID-19 outbreak in February.

After thoroughly reviewing various measures to prevent the risk of infection through droplets splashing onto the face and eyes even when wearing masks, GS25 finally decided to support face shields. Considering the nature of convenience store work, which involves frequent movement during shifts, face shields were judged to be the most effective infection prevention tool as they are easy to wear and carry individually and protect the entire face with a plastic barrier.

Additionally, GS25 will provide health gift sets to franchise store owners nationwide. This initiative aims to comfort franchise owners physically and mentally exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 situation and to offer renewed vitality. GS25 plans to deliver health gift sets composed of deer antler velvet and red ginseng, known to effectively boost immunity and energy, to store owners nationwide in time for the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

A "special disaster relief fund" system has also been established to support personal property damage of franchise owners caused by rapid climate change and natural disasters. While property damage to franchise stores caused by natural disasters has been covered by comprehensive property insurance supported by GS25 headquarters, the newly established special disaster relief fund extends support to personal property damage, enabling franchise owners to receive comprehensive damage assistance from headquarters.

The special disaster relief fund applies to all store owners whose personally owned houses or farmland have been damaged by natural disasters, with the support period spanning from June, when heavy rains began, through December of this year. The support amount will be determined in stages based on the degree of house damage and the level of farmland flooding, with a maximum of 1 million KRW per damage case. GS25 plans to promptly provide the special disaster relief fund after identifying damage cases among franchise owners caused by natural disasters.

A GS25 official said, "After careful consideration of the most effective support system for franchise owners nationwide who are facing great difficulties due to public health crises and natural disasters, we have prepared this additional support plan. We intend to focus on overcoming the crisis together by practicing the broadest range of win-win management that considers not only store operations but also personal damages of store owners."

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