Why Food Apps in China Are Criticized

Food delivery applications are becoming more popular in China. However, these have been recently criticized by the industry since reports have circled that some of them are selling food items from vendors which are not qualified.

According to Asia Times, apps like Baidu Takeout, Eleme and Meituan are slowly making a name in the Chinese market. It explained that these make ordering food east especially in urban centers of the country.

It was added in the same report that various food options are offered by these food delivery applications based on a customer's location like Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing. However, it claimed that these food delivery applications can also get items from uncertified sellers.

What's On Weibo claimed that recent media reports revealed that Eleme and Meituan were involved in these illegal food selling activities. Chinese authorities have already started cracking down on street food sellers who try to become invisible to regulating agencies. They are also looking into the food apps.

Eleme vice president Guo Guangdong has already apologized for the oversight of his company and promised to correct their mistake. But customers of the food app claimed that food vendors who have gone offline are now up again but are using a different name.

App users have also expressed their dismay in the poor performance of the application itself. According to What's on Weibo, user Black Mad Devil Tang Official called Eleme as a "lousy" application which should not be allowed to exist.

"The delivery guy was already halfway to bring me a salad and still it takes two hours with him calling me every other minute to ask for directions, are your delivery staff crawling their way to my house or what?" the netizen complained. "He's not only slow, but he first calls me to tell me he'll be there in half an hour, and then five minutes later he calls me again to tell me it'll take another 20 minutes, are your delivery guys like ticking time bombs?!"