外卖“新国标”为平台竞争划底线

Core Viewpoint - The introduction of the new national standard for food delivery platforms aims to regulate service management, enhance service quality, and alleviate the operational burden on merchants, while promoting fair competition among platforms [2][4]. Group 1: Industry Background - The online food delivery industry in China has grown significantly since its inception in 2008, with platforms like Ele.me and Meituan becoming integral to daily life, serving approximately 545 million users and generating a market size of about 1.2 trillion yuan [3]. - Daily spending on food delivery is nearly 3.3 billion yuan, highlighting the importance of regulation and development in this sector [3]. Group 2: Key Issues Addressed - The draft focuses on critical issues such as "involution" competition, lack of transparency in platform fees, "ghost deliveries," and insufficient protection for delivery personnel [3][4]. - It addresses the phenomenon where merchants report that selling more leads to greater losses, by regulating promotional pricing practices and ensuring that platforms bear the costs of promotional activities [4]. Group 3: Regulatory Measures - The new standard emphasizes the need for platforms to set reasonable service fees and to establish a mechanism for gradually reducing basic commissions, particularly for small and micro businesses [4]. - It aims to shift from a reactive regulatory approach to a proactive one, focusing on guiding, controlling processes, and balancing interests among all parties involved [4]. Group 4: Consumer and Worker Protections - The standard mandates platforms to enhance food safety measures and to take responsibility for preventing "ghost deliveries" through stringent verification processes [4]. - It also emphasizes the need for fair compensation for delivery personnel, including mechanisms to match pay with workload and measures to ensure their safety and well-being [4][5]. Group 5: Sustainable Development Goals - The ultimate goal of the new standard is to create a balanced ecosystem where platforms, merchants, delivery personnel, and consumers can coexist harmoniously, moving away from aggressive subsidy strategies towards reasonable competition [5].