Meituan to Provide Social Security Benefits for Delivery Riders
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A food delivery rider for Meituan in Beijing on Sept. 14, 2024. Photo: Bloomber
Meituan, the Chinese food delivery giant, has announced plans to provide social security benefits to some of its riders, starting in the second quarter of 2025. The move is part of its broader efforts to enhance labor protections and improve employment stability in the gig economy.
The program will cover full-time and stable part-time riders, Meituan said in a statement Wednesday. Meituan had 7.45 million riders earning income through its platform in 2023, with about 820,000 of them working at least 260 days.
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- Meituan plans to start offering social security benefits to full-time and stable part-time riders in 2025 to enhance labor protections in the gig economy, impacting around 820,000 long-term workers.
- The company has already invested 1.4 billion yuan in a pilot program covering occupational injury insurance and aims to expand this coverage nationwide.
- China is increasing its regulation of digital labor platforms, with Meituan also introducing measures to improve rider conditions, such as an anti-fatigue system and eliminating penalties for late deliveries.
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Who’s Who
- Meituan
- Meituan, a Chinese food delivery giant, plans to offer social security benefits to some riders starting in Q2 2025. This initiative is part of its efforts to enhance labor protections. The company has been experimenting with occupational injury insurance and improving working conditions. These measures follow regulatory scrutiny and align with moves by other companies like JD.com to improve benefits for delivery workers in China's gig economy.
- JD.com
- JD.com announced it will begin providing full social security benefits for its full-time delivery riders starting March 1. Part-time riders will receive accident and health insurance. This move aligns with efforts to improve labor conditions in the gig economy, similar to initiatives by Meituan.
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What Happened When
- July 2022：
- Meituan led a pilot program for occupational injury insurance under the guidance of China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
- September 2024：
- A 55-year-old delivery rider collapsed and died in Hangzhou.
- Late 2024：
- Meituan introduced measures to improve working conditions, including an anti-fatigue system for riders.
- November 2024：
- The Cyberspace Administration of China launched a crackdown on algorithm-driven labor practices.
- March 1, 2025：
- JD.com will begin providing full social security benefits for its full-time delivery riders.
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