外卖“新国标”出台，谁来为“慢下来”买单？

Core Viewpoint - The newly released national standard for food delivery platforms aims to protect the rights of delivery riders, but raises questions about who will bear the increased costs associated with these protections [1][5]. Group 1: Rights and Regulations for Delivery Riders - The national standard outlines three key rights for delivery riders: a guaranteed income level, a maximum daily working time of 8 hours, and a speed limit for delivery calculations of 15 kilometers per hour [1][2][3]. - Riders express concerns that the new regulations may not align with their income needs, as they feel that working fewer hours directly impacts their earnings [3]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Financial Implications - Major platforms like JD, Alibaba, and Meituan have reported a combined operating profit decrease of over 77 billion yuan in their food delivery and related businesses due to intense competition [4]. - A real-world example shows that a customer pays 63.60 yuan for a meal, but after various deductions, the merchant only receives 44.03 yuan, highlighting the financial strain on merchants amid aggressive price wars [4]. Group 3: Systemic Pressure and Cost Distribution - The pressure within the delivery ecosystem is exacerbated by the need for higher efficiency, leading to increased demands on riders to deliver more orders in less time [4]. - The introduction of the new standard is intended to alleviate this pressure, but it raises the question of who will ultimately absorb the additional costs: the platforms, the merchants, or the consumers [5]. Group 4: Future Opportunities and Market Expansion - The competition has established a robust "instant delivery" network and consumer mindset, indicating potential for market expansion beyond traditional food delivery [6]. - Data shows that non-food delivery orders on platforms like Taobao have exceeded 13 million daily, suggesting a shift towards a broader service-oriented e-commerce model [6].