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Food Delivery Giants Summoned by China’s Regulator to Promote Fair Competition

By  |  July 20, 2025

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) convened a meeting on Friday with prominent online food delivery companies, including Alibaba Group Holding’s Ele.me, Meituan, and JD.com. According to a statement from the regulator, the purpose of the gathering was to urge these firms to adopt more “rational” competitive practices amid an ongoing price war that has dominated the market for months.

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    Per a statement issued by SAMR, the meeting focused on the need to “further regulate promotion behaviours, encourage rational competition, and foster a healthy ecosystem and win-win situation for consumers, merchants, delivery riders, and platform operators.” The regulator emphasized that these companies must comply with existing e-commerce, anti-unfair competition, and food safety laws while fulfilling their corporate responsibilities.

    Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, was among the key players involved in the discussions. The meeting marks a regulatory effort to temper aggressive discounting and promotional tactics that have characterized the fiercely competitive food delivery sector in China.

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    On the same day, SAMR also held a separate meeting addressing food safety issues linked to live-streaming e-commerce. According to a statement from the regulator, investigations revealed that some food products sold during recent live-streamed sessions contained excessive amounts of food additives or pesticide residues. Representatives from various live-streaming platforms and influencer agencies were present, although the regulator did not disclose specific names.

    The regulator’s actions highlight growing concerns over market order and consumer protection in both online food delivery and live-streaming commerce, sectors that have rapidly expanded in recent years.

    This latest intervention by SAMR comes after months of intense competition, during which the major food delivery platforms engaged in a barrage of discounts aimed at securing greater market share, prompting calls for more sustainable and fair business practices.

    Source: SCMP