Online food delivery services to be regulated

[buksida]

The cabinet on Tuesday approved measures to regulate food and online delivery services after customer complaints during the country's coronavirus lockdown, a senior government official said.

Food deliveries surged during the lockdown and in April . The Trade Competition Commission warned that if food delivery platforms increased prices unfairly they could be fined.

"The Covid-19 outbreak has changed consumer behavior and more consumers are using these online services and there were complaints so control [of] prices is necessary," deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Dhnadirek told reporters.

"There were complaints from consumers of online services about the price of food delivery," she said.

In April, the Office of Trade and Competition Commission secretary-general Somsak Kiatchailak said there had been complaints that food delivery platforms had increased their service fees for restaurants from 20% to rates of up to 40%. He did not name any companies.

The price control comes into force on July 4 and will be reviewed again in one year. The control list aims to prevent operators from setting unfair prices and other conditions.

Ms Ratchada said, for example, that services like those provided by Grab and Kerry would be included on the price control list.

The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -regulated

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[PeteC]

I'm still scratching my head about Kerry. No where can I find that they are involved in the food delivery service. We know them quite well as the wife uses them daily for her business deliveries.

[migrant]

I'm still scratching my head about Kerry. No where can I find that they are involved in the food delivery service. We know them quite well as the wife uses them daily for her business deliveries.

I don't think it's in the spirit intended but I get delivery, by Kerry, from food sources in Bangkok. Not really ready to eat though.

[buksida]

Could be to do with all these extra 'shipping/delivery charges' that certain online retailers (that also sell food) have started adding this year.

[Big Boy]

I assume Grab and Kerry work here hand in hand i.e. we often have Kerry parcels delivered by Grab Food. We also have quite a few Kerry deliveries, but I'd say 25% arrive these days on the back of a Grab Food motorcycle.

When my daughter-in-law had her food outlet, she considered using Food Panda. However, she was not allowed to increase her prices to cover the Food Panda delivery costs, but had to pay any profits to Food Panda in commission.

[handdrummer]

There's always the alternative of not ordering food online. If people stopped ordering, the prices would come down and if not, business would lessen. I think the market could take of the situation & the government could take it's finger off the scale. Of course it would mean less govt. control and more individual responsibility and we can't have that.