SEMAS discusses integrating public food delivery apps to ease fees for small businesses

The Small Enterprise and Market Service discussed ways to integrate public online food delivery platforms and ease the delivery fee burden on small business owners.

SEMAS said Tuesday it held a policy forum on cooperative online food delivery in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, with private-sector experts and representatives of public delivery app operators in attendance.

The forum was organized to strengthen the competitiveness of public delivery apps and explore support measures for small businesses. A total of 10 people attended, including SEMAS President In Tae-yeon and representatives from the People's Economy Research Institute and public delivery app operators.

Participants shared views on the need to consolidate public delivery apps, specific implementation plans and future challenges. Key agenda items included an assessment of the oligopolistic structure of the delivery app market, public-private cooperation strategies, integrated operation of public delivery apps and securing control over lifestyle infrastructure.

Public delivery apps have drawn attention as an alternative to reducing the delivery fee burden on small business owners. However, establishing a sustainable operating framework and expanding participation from users and merchants remain the main challenges to building competitiveness. The forum also addressed cooperation measures to improve the operational efficiency of public delivery apps.

SEMAS is currently gathering opinions from a range of stakeholders to formulate its support policy for cooperative delivery apps next year. Those being consulted include not only public delivery app operators but also delivery agencies, delivery rider unions, private-sector experts, consumers and small business merchants.

The agency plans to continue holding forums with consumers and small business merchants to examine how delivery apps are being used and identify on-the-ground difficulties. Based on the findings, it intends to develop support measures that ease fee burdens and bring tangible improvements to the management conditions of small businesses.

"Delivery apps are a critical business foundation that directly affects sales expansion and revenue for small business owners, so it is important to strengthen the competitiveness of public delivery apps and establish a sustainable operating framework," In said. "We will reflect the voices from the field in our policy, strengthen public-private cooperation, and develop effective support measures to ease the fee burden on small business owners and create a stable business environment."