Supermarkets happen to be the most popular kind of retail enterprise, as it is not affected by the economic condition much, and deal with the necessities of life. If you plan to open a grocery store or a super market then there are certain legal dilemmas which can easily be passed through. Since running a supermarket is nothing less than running a business, one should be prepared to keep these certain things in mind;
- Business structure
- Legal entity or business structure indicates the type of ownership a business possesses. As an owner of a grocery store, it is imperative of you to take a thoughtful decision regarding the business structure as that will determine the progress of your business.
- There are basically six options for the same; partnership, single person company, sole-proprietorship, partnership with limited liability, public and private ltd company.
- The most convenient and popular among these are sole proprietorship; it has minimum legal compliances, and full authority to easily handle the supermarket. In case of this business structure only current account is required and tax is not levied on stores if under sole-proprietorship.
- Lease contract
In order to open the grocery store, obtaining a shop is a must and for that one needs to prepare a lease contract with his/her landlord. Without this you will invite trouble. This lease contract is different as compared to the contract for residential house. It contains clauses like;
- Sublease right
- Consequences for breaching of contract
- Structures altercation
- Maintenance charge, base rent, deposit
- Terms for renewal
- Code compliance
- Name and residential address of both landlord and tenant
- Other legal requirements
The legalities differ from state to state and one must check with their licensing and commerce department for information. The general documents that are needed are;
- Business licence
- Incorporation certificate
- Nondisclosure agreement
- Insurance policy
- Employment agreement
- EIN (federal employment identification number)
Before opening of your supermarket store, it will be inspected by your state’s health and fire departments.
- Do the market research
The demographics of customers include socioeconomic spheres, and it is essential to look for your own niche and differentiate accordingly. For instance, niche includes, gluten-free, ethnic, premade food, frozen and organic. You will certainly face competition from Kroger, Walmart, Safeway and Costa. Choose on satisfying your own consumer base.
- Choose the location thoughtfully
Locations matters the most when it comes to supermarket. It should be properly visible and convenient enough to reach. Your supermarket must also have large space for parking and also be near the high traffic area.
- Tools for trade
Certain equipments must be taken care of before establishing your supermarket;
- Security
systems having alarms and cameras
- Cash register along with machine for credit cards
- Refrigerators and freezers for goods that is perishable
- Display cases and huge shelves for the displaying of products and items.
Also just like knowing Woolworths opening hours, one must be aware of the expiry date too for their business licence and keep renewing it to avoid unwanted trouble.
