Online food delivery service market size in China 2017-2027

China's online food delivery business is booming. In 2024, the market size reached 1.6 trillion yuan. As of mid-2024, more than half of internet users in China had used online food delivery services. However, this expanding enterprise faces a number of challenges, including violations of labor rights and criticism regarding its environmental impact.

Another industry in the gig economy

The online food delivery industry has provided millions of jobs to delivery workers. The low skill requirement and relatively high income makes food delivery driving one of the most promising career options for China's migrant workers. However, the attraction of flexible work hours and income are not all that they seem. Most full-time food delivery workers work more than ten hours a day and the commission for each order has shrunk significantly. Furthermore, delivery workers are regularly under pressure, often dealing with overflow orders, impatient customers, and meeting strict delivery time requirements.

Concerns over plastic waste

Research draws a strong link between China's air pollution and food delivery consumption. As of 2020, more than 80 percent of the food delivery restaurants in China offered only plastic packaging. The overuse of plastic containers caused a considerable amount of plastic waste, contributing not only to landfill waste but also air pollution from the production of plastics.