BUSINESS

China’s Food Delivery Giants to Introduce Mandatory Rest Breaks for Riders

Published: Dec. 18 3:59 a.m. GMT+8

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A Meituan takeout worker is working at night in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

China’s food delivery giants Meituan and Ele.me are to impose mandatory rest breaks for delivery drivers to improve their health and safety.

The changes in policy come after a public outcry over a September incident when a 55-year-old delivery rider collapsed and died in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

An online notice revealed that the two platforms were to force riders offline after excessive shifts. Meituan on Tuesday confirmed adjustments to its working hours policy, with small-scale trials already underway.

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Meituan and Ele.me have implemented mandatory break policies for delivery drivers following a rider's death, with features like rest reminders and automatic log-offs after long shifts.
Meituan reported 7.45 million riders earning over 80 billion yuan in 2023, with high-frequency riders making between 5,720 and 10,865 yuan monthly.
In Q3 2023, Meituan's revenue rose 22.4% to 93.577 billion yuan, with a net profit increase of 258.05% to 12.865 billion yuan.

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Who’s Who

Meituan: Meituan is implementing mandatory rest breaks for delivery drivers after the death of a rider, aiming to improve rider health and safety. The company trials in-app warnings, mandatory log-offs, and launched a “Rider Home” app feature to offer support services. Meituan recorded 93.577 billion yuan in third-quarter revenue, a 22.4% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of 12.865 billion yuan. The company collaborates with trade unions and local merchants to expand rider service stations.

Ele.me: Ele.me, part of Alibaba Group, has implemented nationwide rider rest policies since August. The app provides pop-up rest reminders and enforces mandatory breaks when work hours exceed safe limits. These measures were initiated following a public outcry over a delivery driver's death in September, who was a gig worker for multiple platforms, including Ele.me.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s Ele.me has implemented mandatory rest policies for delivery riders to ensure safety. These measures include pop-up rest reminders within the app and enforced breaks when riders exceed safe working hours, launched nationwide in August.

China Vanke Co. Ltd.: The article mentions that China Vanke Co. Ltd. is collaborating with Meituan to promote "rider-friendly communities," which aim to provide delivery riders with easier access to residential complexes. However, the article does not provide additional information about China Vanke Co. Ltd. itself.

China Overseas Property Holdings Ltd.: The article mentions that Meituan is promoting "rider-friendly communities" by collaborating with companies such as China Overseas Property Holdings Ltd. to provide riders with easier access to residential complexes. Specific details about China Overseas Property Holdings Ltd. are not provided in the article.

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