"Increase in Packaged and Delivery Boxes with Handles... So-called 'Good Handles'"

82.9% of Large Mart Private Brand Boxes to Have Handles Next Year
Manufacturers, Delivery, and Online Retailers Also Join... Guideline Distributed

Asia Economy DB=Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Starting next year, the installation of handles on boxes used by large marts, courier companies, and online retailers will be expanded. This is expected to contribute to improving the working environment for delivery workers and other laborers.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 27th that, through consultations with major domestic distribution and manufacturing companies, courier companies, and the online distribution industry, it has decided to expand the installation of box handles starting next year.

The labor sector, including the Mart Industry Union, has requested the installation of box handles to prevent musculoskeletal disorders caused by repetitive box carrying tasks that strain workers' bodies.

In response, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has listened to the difficulties faced by major large marts, manufacturers, and companies related to box handle installation since early this year and discussed improvement measures.

As a result, large distribution companies such as E-mart, Homeplus, and Lotte Mart have increased the handle installation rate on their private brand (PB) products from an average of 9.0% to 20.6% by the end of this year. Next year, they plan to raise the handle installation rate on private brand boxes to 82.9%.

Manufacturers will prioritize introducing handles on boxes for products where handle installation is feasible. This is because installing handle holes may allow insects or foreign substances to enter or may damage some products.

Major manufacturers such as LG Household & Health Care, CJ CheilJedang, Dongwon F&B, and Daesang have installed handles on 127 types of gift sets available this Lunar New Year that can accommodate handles, and plan to increase the handle installation rate on general products from the current 1.6% to 7.8% next year.

Some manufacturers plan to change their design procedures to consider workers' ease of handling when designing product packaging in the future.

Additionally, the Ministry of Employment and Labor consulted with major courier companies such as CJ Logistics, Lotte Global Logistics, Hanjin Express, and Logen Express, as well as online retailers including Coupang, SSG, and Market Kurly, regarding the expansion of box handles.

As a result, major courier companies will install handles on 670,000 boxes next year, and online retailers will install handles on 475,000 boxes.

For packaging boxes of products where handle installation is difficult, such as frozen foods, alternatives such as providing separate tying straps or other auxiliary tools will be considered.

The Ministry plans to distribute a "Box Handle Guide" introducing the applicable targets, basic principles, handle shapes, and positions. These box handles will be named "Good Handles," and labels will be created to attach to the boxes.

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jae-gap said, "We will continuously prepare various alternatives to ensure that Good Handles become established," and added, "Now, we hope consumers will choose companies and products that consider workers."

The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to monitor the industry's efforts to improve working conditions and conduct consultations, guidance, and inspections by industry to expand this initiative to other sectors such as construction.

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