The Completely Transformed Neighborhood Supermarket, Achieving 'Additional Sales and Improved Quality of Life' as a Smart Supermarket

Ministry of SMEs and Startups Introduces 'Smart Supermarket Pilot Project' to Strengthen Neighborhood Supermarket Competitiveness
Staffed During Daytime, Unmanned at Night... "More Free Time and Increased Sales"
Plan to Introduce 800 Smart Supermarkets Annually and Develop 4,000 by 2025

On the 2nd, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that the implementation of the 'Smart Supermarket Pilot Project' resulted in additional sales for neighborhood supermarkets along with improvements in the welfare of small business owners. The photo shows Minister Park Young-sun of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups presenting a plaque to the store owner at the opening of the first Smart Supermarket in Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, last September. Photo by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “Even if I have to step out briefly while working at the store, I can switch to an unmanned store and come back, and above all, I can operate on weekends while resting, which has improved my quality of life.”

Lee Changyeop (33), CEO of the second Smart Supermarket, which operates with staff during the day and unmanned at night, mentioned the improvement in welfare after adopting smart technology. He added that before converting to a Smart Supermarket, he had difficulties such as not being able to use the restroom or having to eat lunch quickly while managing the store alone.

On the 2nd, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that the ‘Smart Supermarket Pilot Project’ showed results of increased sales and improved welfare for small business owners in neighborhood supermarkets.

The Smart Supermarket is a hybrid unmanned store operated with staff during the day and unmanned at night. It is evaluated as presenting a new neighborhood supermarket model based on the introduction of smart technologies and equipment such as unmanned entry devices, unmanned checkout counters, security systems, and digital management.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups introduced the ‘Smart Supermarket Pilot Project’ last year to strengthen the competitiveness of neighborhood supermarkets amid changes in the distribution environment, such as the expansion of non-face-to-face consumption.

Through the pilot project, the Smart Supermarket opened its first store in Seoul in September last year, the second store in November, and three additional stores in December in Anyang, Chuncheon, and Ulsan, operating a total of five pilot stores.

The Smart Supermarket allows customers to use the store on their own after the owner leaves and enables operation on weekends while resting, making additional sales possible. Since opening, the first store’s average daily sales increased by 32.6%, and the second store’s by 8.4%.

Additionally, the Ministry explained that the introduction of the Smart Supermarket increased free time for store operation and allowed owners to leave work early and spend time with family, thereby improving quality of life.

A Ministry official said, “Based on the operational results of the Smart Supermarket pilot project, starting next year, we plan to collaborate with local governments to foster 800 Smart Supermarkets annually, aiming for 4,000 by 2025.”

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