焦点访谈｜外卖行业“新国标”发布 回应热点问题、规范行业发展

Core Viewpoint - The rapid development of the food delivery industry has led to irrational competition among platforms, resulting in negative effects such as subsidy wars, harm to merchants' interests, "ghost deliveries," and declining food quality. The newly released "Basic Requirements for Food Delivery Platform Services" aims to guide the healthy development of the industry and protect the rights of stakeholders [1][2][4]. Group 1: Industry Challenges - Intense competition among food delivery platforms has led to significant subsidy activities, such as "hundred billion subsidies" and "large coupons," exacerbating market "involution" [1][2]. - Merchants have reported that the subsidy wars have not increased their profits but rather made their operations more difficult [4]. - Long-term low pricing strategies may reduce supply, ultimately harming consumers by limiting choices and quality [5]. Group 2: New Standards and Regulations - The new standards set basic requirements for service management to protect the rights of merchants, delivery personnel, and consumers, covering six core areas: overall requirements, merchant management, pricing behavior, delivery personnel rights protection, consumer rights protection, and complaint handling [2][9]. - The standards aim to prevent "involution-style" competition by separating platform promotions from merchant promotions, prohibiting platforms from coercing merchants into participating in price reductions [7][9]. - The standards also address the issue of "ghost deliveries," requiring stricter merchant admission criteria and transparency in food safety [9][12]. Group 3: Delivery Personnel Rights - The standards emphasize the need to protect delivery personnel's rights, addressing issues such as safety and working conditions, and optimizing delivery algorithms to consider various factors like traffic and weather [10][12]. - Platforms are required to ensure fair compensation and working hours for delivery personnel, allowing them to manage their own schedules safely [12][13]. - The standards aim to create a more humane management approach, moving away from punitive measures for delays and focusing on alternative management strategies [12][13]. Group 4: Industry Development Goals - The overarching goal of the new standards is to establish clear obligations and responsibilities for platforms towards merchants, consumers, and delivery personnel, fostering industry communication and consensus [13]. - The shift from a speed-centric model to one that prioritizes quality and service is essential for the sustainable development of the food delivery industry [13]. - Government regulation and social oversight are crucial for transitioning the industry from irrational competition to high-quality competition characterized by service enhancement and innovation [13].