国家将开展外卖行业市场竞争状况调查三大平台积极回应并呼吁公平竞争

Core Viewpoint - The State Administration for Market Regulation has initiated an investigation into the competitive landscape of the food delivery platform service industry in China, aiming to address issues of irrational competition, such as price wars and excessive subsidies, which have negatively impacted the real economy and intensified "involution" within the industry [1] Group 1: Investigation and Regulatory Actions - The investigation will utilize methods such as on-site verification, face-to-face interviews, and surveys to gather comprehensive insights into competitive behaviors within the food delivery platforms [1] - The goal is to promote lawful and compliant operations among food delivery platforms, ensuring fair competition and a healthy market order [1] Group 2: Responses from Major Food Delivery Platforms - Meituan expressed strong support for the investigation and emphasized the need for rational competition, advocating for a return to responsible market practices [2] - Taobao Shanguo welcomed the investigation and committed to cooperating fully, highlighting the importance of fair competition as a core principle of the market economy [2] - JD Delivery also supported the decision, focusing on resisting "involution" and promoting high-quality development through supply chain innovations [2] Group 3: Financial Impact and Industry Challenges - The intense competition has led to significant financial losses for major platforms, with Meituan reporting an adjusted net loss of 16 billion yuan in Q3 2025, compared to a profit of 12.8 billion yuan in the same period last year [3] - Alibaba's net profit for the same period fell by 52% to 20.99 billion yuan, while JD's net profit decreased by 55% to 5.3 billion yuan [3] - The high subsidy costs have created a vicious cycle affecting the quality of food services, as restaurants face pressure to lower quality to maintain profitability [3][4] Group 4: Underlying Issues of Subsidy Mechanisms - There is a need to scrutinize the subsidy cost transfer mechanisms, questioning whether the platforms or the merchants bear the burden of these costs [4] - Platforms may impose hidden costs on merchants through algorithms that dictate pricing and traffic distribution, leading to a situation where merchants must subsidize their own promotions [5]