SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s top retailers announced plans to install handles on private-label brand (PB) boxes for easier delivery by staff.
Emart, Lotte Mart and HomePlus submitted a new proposal on October 20 to the Ministry of Employment and Labor via the Korea Chainstores Association (KOCA).
The labor unions of each mall claimed that many employees are suffering from musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) due to intensive physical work involving carrying heavy boxes, and have been asking management to install handles on delivery boxes.
Emart, with ownership of the highest number of private brand products out of all major shopping malls, vowed to install additional handles on 37 of 595 PB product boxes, excluding 82 boxes that weigh more than 5 kilograms with handles already installed.
Lotte Mart also decided to install handles on PB boxes that weigh over 5 kilograms, for products that will not be damaged if handles are added.
Home Plus plans to install box handles on 29 percent of all PB products this year. With the labor-management agreement, the company has already installed handles on a certain portion of PB boxes.
Image Credit: Korean Mart Labor Union / Korea Federation of Service Worker’s Union / photonews@koreabizwire.com
