30% of Small Business Owners Near Large Marts Say Sales Increased After Mandatory Closure Switched to Weekdays

"Sales Decrease" 10%, "Same as Before" 55.3%
Survey Results from Seocho-gu Changing Mandatory Closure to Weekdays
'WinWinWin' Model to be Implemented from Next Month

Since the mandatory closure day for large supermarkets changed from Sunday to a weekday, about 30% of nearby small business owners responded that their sales have increased, which is roughly three times higher than the 10% who said their sales have decreased. Among 10 surrounding stores, 8.5 responded positively or said there was no significant impact from the shift to a weekday mandatory closure, overwhelmingly outnumbering negative responses.

Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced on the 8th that a survey of 150 small business owners and store managers within a 1km radius of large supermarkets in Seocho-gu?such as Emart Yangjae Branch, Lotte Mart Seocho Branch, and Kim's Club Gangnam Branch (50 respondents per store)?found that the change in mandatory closure days for large supermarkets has had a positive effect.

Seocho-gu changed the mandatory closure days for large supermarkets from the 2nd and 4th Sundays to Wednesdays (Mondays for Kim's Club) starting January 28. After two months, from March 20 to April 3, the district conducted a survey on perceptions and sales changes related to the change in mandatory closure days.

According to the survey, when asked "Has there been any change in sales since the mandatory closure day changed?" 55.3% of respondents answered "Sales remain the same," while 30% said "Sales have increased." Only 10% reported a decrease in sales.

When asked "What do you think about the current weekday mandatory closure?" 41.3% responded positively, and 44.6% said it had little impact. Negative responses accounted for 8%.

Regarding "How do you perceive changes in foot traffic since the mandatory closure day changed?" 51.3% said "There is no significant difference," while 38.6% reported an increase in foot traffic.

The district analyzed that the change in mandatory closure days is gradually contributing to increased sales for small business owners and is also affecting the foot traffic in the local commercial areas.

Perceptions among small business owners varied depending on the commercial environment around each supermarket. The highest positive response to the weekday change was around Kim's Club Gangnam Branch, with 56% of respondents expressing positivity and 34% saying there was no impact. Notably, over 56% felt an increase in sales, and 66% reported increased foot traffic. Located in a residential area with many visitors and significant influence on surrounding commercial zones, the weekday change effect appeared most quickly here, according to the district.

Near Lotte Mart Seocho Branch, 26% responded positively, and 64% said there was no significant impact. Additionally, 20% reported increased sales, while 62% had not yet noticed any sales changes. The percentage reporting increased foot traffic was 54%. This area is primarily an office district, so the sales benefits from weekend supermarket operations have not yet appeared rapidly.

Respondents near Emart Yangjae Branch showed 42% positive responses and 36% no impact. Fourteen percent reported increased sales, while 62% had not yet felt any sales changes. Only 18% perceived increased foot traffic, and 66% had not yet noticed any change.

One large supermarket reported a 7% monthly increase in visitors and a 10% increase in purchase amount per customer after switching to weekday mandatory closure. It was also analyzed that customers visiting from neighboring cities and districts increased, not just Seocho-gu residents.

Seocho-gu plans to publish statistics in June this year by securing objective data such as impact analysis on surrounding commercial areas and satisfaction surveys through professional research institutions.

While implementing the weekday mandatory closure for large supermarkets, Seocho-gu launched the "Seocho-type Win-Win Model." This model aims to share the price competitiveness, quality, and marketing capabilities of large supermarkets with small and medium-sized distributors to strengthen competitiveness and revitalize local alley markets, creating a "win-win-win" situation for residents, small and medium distributors, and large supermarkets. The district has also completed preparations for the "Large Supermarket Distribution Network Sharing" project, which will be launched in May. It is expected to contribute to increased sales and further activate local alley markets by supplying large supermarket products with secured quality and price competitiveness to small supermarkets.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, "We will continue to provide meticulous support so that residents, small business owners, small and medium distributors, and large supermarkets can all say, 'Changing the mandatory closure day to a weekday was really a good decision.' We will pay attention and support so that Seocho-type Win-Win Model, the first of its kind among Seoul's autonomous districts, can spread as a national exemplary case."

Meanwhile, as a follow-up to the "Large Supermarket Operation Regulation Improvement Plan" announced at a recent public discussion on livelihood, the government decided to change the mandatory closure days of large supermarkets in 76 basic local governments nationwide to weekdays.

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