CFP

TMTPOST -- Chinese e-commerce heavyweight JD.com is escalating its fight in the food delivery arena, accusing rival Meituan of blocking part-time couriers from working across both platforms—allegations Meituan has strongly denied while hitting back with similar claims.

JD.com said it will recruit 100,000 full-time delivery riders over the next three months, ramping up its food delivery expansion as competition with market leader Meituan intensifies.

To support affected riders, JD said it will guarantee a steady flow of delivery orders to ensure their income remains stable. The company also pledged to help arrange employment opportunities for couriers' family members to boost household earnings.

In a public statement, JD.com criticized what it described as "unfair competitive practices," alleging that some couriers have been forced to choose between platforms, resulting in income losses of up to 25%. While JD did not name Meituan directly, the language left little ambiguity about its target.

"Although a certain company explicitly says it won't do it, everyone knows it must secretly do it!" JD said in a sharply worded letter, vowing to support any drivers affected by platform restrictions.

The accusation follows leaked screenshots circulating on Chinese social media, appearing to show group chats warning Meituan riders against accepting JD delivery orders—threatening them with account termination. Meituan denied the allegations, stating on April 19 that it "has never prevented delivery personnel from working with other platforms" and would take legal action against those spreading "malicious rumors."

Meituan later countered with its own accusation, claiming JD prohibits its full-time riders from accepting outside orders and penalizes them heavily for missed deliveries. JD has not publicly responded to that charge.

The spat reignites concerns over the "pick one from two" strategy—an anticompetitive practice in which platforms allegedly force workers or merchants to exclusively use their services. In 2021, China's antitrust regulator fined Meituan 3.44 billion yuan (about $533 million at the time) for deploying such tactics against restaurants.

JD, a newcomer to China's fiercely competitive food delivery sector, launched its service in February as part of a broader push into the country's fast-growing instant retail market. To gain ground, the company is offering zero commission fees for restaurants and full social security benefits for its delivery staff.

JD said it would double its courier recruitment target over the next three months, from 50,000 to 100,000, to meet surging demand—claiming it now handles over five million orders daily.

Meituan, meanwhile, is reinforcing its own instant retail ambitions. On April 15, the company launched Meituan Shangou, leveraging its expansive logistics network beyond food to deepen its presence in same-day delivery.