TECH

China’s Regulator Ramps Up Push to Curb Food Delivery Subsidy War

Published: Sep. 10, 2025 5:00 a.m. GMT+8

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China’s market watchdog has stepped up oversight of the country’s intensifying food delivery subsidy battle, warning leading platforms to steer clear of unfair competition as a wave of cut-price campaigns rattles the industry.

At a press briefing Tuesday, Wang Qiuping, spokesperson for the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), said the agency had summoned top platforms for talks and secured public pledges to rein in “malicious subsidies” and comply with the law.

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What Happened When

February 2025：: JD.com officially launched its food delivery business, intensifying competition with Meituan and Ele.me.

April 2025：: Alibaba upgraded its 'Taobao Flash Sale' service, leveraging Ele.me's delivery infrastructure.

Second quarter of 2025：: JD.com’s net profit attributable to shareholders fell 50.8% to 6.2 billion yuan; Meituan’s operating profit from core local services plunged 75.6%, dragging overall net income down nearly 97%; Alibaba’s China commerce group saw adjusted EBITDA drop 21%, with group net profit down 18% under non-GAAP measures.

July 2025：: Alibaba unveiled a yearlong 50-billion-yuan ($7 billion) subsidy plan.

July 18, 2025：: SAMR pressed Meituan, JD.com, and Ele.me to adhere to fair competition rules at a meeting.

Early August 2025：: Meituan, Ele.me, and JD.com issued statements pledging to standardize subsidies and promote healthy competition.

September 9, 2025：: Wang Qiuping, spokesperson for SAMR, announced at a press briefing that the agency had summoned top platforms, securing public pledges regarding food delivery subsidy practices.

AI generated, for reference only