China's new food delivery rules, effective June 1, require ghost kitchens to match online names with physical premises, display business licenses & shopfront photos, and prohibit unapproved cooking locations. Aims to improve traceability and safety.
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China Cracks Down on Ghost Kitchens with Tough New Food Delivery Rules
China is introducing stricter regulations for online food delivery businesses, requiring greater transparency and tighter alignment between their digital presence and physical operations. The measures, issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, are scheduled to come into force on June 1 and are aimed at improving food safety and reducing misleading practices in the rapidly expanding takeaway market.
Under the new framework, restaurants selling through delivery platforms must use the same name online as the one displayed at their physical premises. Authorities say this will prevent vendors from operating multiple virtual brands that obscure their real identity and make supervision more difficult.
Merchants will also have to provide clear and continuously visible business details on their main online page. This includes their business licence, images of their actual shopfront and kitchen environment, and the precise operating address. The address shown online must match the one registered on the food service permit, ensuring that regulators and consumers can trace the real location of food preparation.
In addition, the rules emphasise stricter compliance with food safety standards. Operators are required to follow proper sourcing procedures for ingredients, maintain hygienic facilities, and adhere to standardised preparation processes. Food production outside approved preparation areas or subcontracting cooking to unauthorised third parties will no longer be allowed, closing a gap that previously enabled some vendors to operate informally.
A key focus of the regulation is the management of delivery-only kitchens. Businesses that do not offer dine-in services must clearly display a prominent "no dine-in" label on their platform pages. Delivery platforms themselves are also responsible for marking these outlets accordingly in their listings so customers understand the nature of the operation before placing an order.
Officials say the core objective is to make online food orders more transparent and reliable for consumers. By requiring clear disclosure of a merchant's identity, operating model, and food preparation conditions, regulators aim to ensure that customers receive meals that accurately reflect how and where they are produced.
The tighter rules reflect China's broader effort to standardize its booming food delivery industry, reinforce accountability among platform operators and vendors, and rebuild consumer confidence through greater openness and traceability.
Source: Baidu.com
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