China Heavily Fines "Ghost Takeout" E-commerce Platforms; 7 Platforms Respond: Sincerely Accept
Chinese authorities fined seven major e-commerce platforms, including Pinduoduo and Meituan, a total of 3.597 billion RMB for allowing illegal "ghost takeout" stores. All platforms pledged to rectify the issues.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 16:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 16:31 (6 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 21:30 (4h 58m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Reporter Liao Wen-chi, Taipei, 18th) Chinese authorities have cracked down on "ghost takeout" services, issuing massive fines totaling NT$16.8 billion (RMB 3.597 billion) to seven e-commerce platforms including Pinduoduo, Meituan, JD.com, Taobao Flash Delivery, Douyin, Taobao, and Tmall. In response, all seven platforms stated they "sincerely accept and resolutely obey."
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) of China announced on its official website on the 17th that it had made administrative penalty decisions in accordance with relevant laws regarding the "ghost takeout" series of cases involving the seven platforms. The platforms were ordered to correct their illegal behaviors, suspend the addition of new cake shops for periods ranging from 3 to 9 months, and were fined and confiscated a total of RMB 3.597 billion.
According to the mainland media The Paper, Pinduoduo stated it sincerely accepts and resolutely obeys the decision. "We will take this as a warning to further standardize our business processes, improve and upgrade. We will stick to our original intention and actively fulfill our social responsibilities."
Meituan responded, "We will strictly implement various rectification measures in accordance with food safety regulatory requirements, comprehensively improve our governance capabilities, and under the guidance of regulatory authorities at all levels, resolutely combat illegal and irregular behaviors such as order transferring and using false qualifications to go online, as well as the black and gray industry chains. We will further upgrade measures and strengthen governance to effectively safeguard takeout food safety."
JD.com stated, "We fully accept and resolutely support the implementation of SAMR's food safety regulatory requirements." JD.com will continuously upgrade technical means, optimize review mechanisms, compact entity responsibilities, and guarantee food safety and quality.
Taobao Flash Delivery (formerly Ele.me) responded that it resolutely executes the relevant administrative penalty decisions of SAMR. "We will conduct comprehensive investigations, govern resolutely, and continuously and normally carry out platform compliance construction and implement rectification work according to food safety regulatory requirements."
Douyin stated, "Regarding this penalty, our company sincerely accepts and resolutely implements it. We will continue to strengthen legal operations, continuously improve compliance governance levels, effectively fulfill social responsibilities, actively create a healthy platform ecology, and work with merchants on the platform to provide better services to consumers."
Taotian Group (Taobao, Tmall) stated it resolutely executes the relevant administrative penalty decisions of SAMR. "We will conduct comprehensive investigations, govern resolutely, and continuously and normally carry out platform compliance construction and implement rectification work according to food safety regulatory requirements."
"Ghost takeout" refers to businesses that have not obtained food business licenses entering e-commerce platforms to engage in takeout by renting licenses, using fake addresses, and forging store photos. The target of the Chinese authorities this time was ghost stores that subcontracted cake takeout orders at low prices, causing consumers to spend heavily on inferior cakes with food safety concerns. (Editor: Chen Kai-yu) 1150418
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Liao Wen-chi, Taipei, 18th) Chinese authorities have cracked down on "ghost takeout" services, issuing massive fines totaling NT$16.8 billion (RMB 3.597 billion) to seven e-commerce platforms including Pinduoduo, Meituan, JD.com, Taobao Flash Delivery, Douyin, Taobao, and Tmall. In response, all seven platforms stated they "sincerely accept and resolutely obey."
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) of China announced on its official website on the 17th that it had made administrative penalty decisions in accordance with relevant laws regarding the "ghost takeout" series of cases involving the seven platforms. The platforms were ordered to correct their illegal behaviors, suspend the addition of new cake shops for periods ranging from 3 to 9 months, and were fined and confiscated a total of RMB 3.597 billion.
According to the mainland media The Paper, Pinduoduo stated it sincerely accepts and resolutely obeys the decision. "We will take this as a warning to further standardize our business processes, improve and upgrade. We will stick to our original intention and actively fulfill our social responsibilities."
Meituan responded, "We will strictly implement various rectification measures in accordance with food safety regulatory requirements, comprehensively improve our governance capabilities, and under the guidance of regulatory authorities at all levels, resolutely combat illegal and irregular behaviors such as order transferring and using false qualifications to go online, as well as the black and gray industry chains. We will further upgrade measures and strengthen governance to effectively safeguard takeout food safety."
JD.com stated, "We fully accept and resolutely support the implementation of SAMR's food safety regulatory requirements." JD.com will continuously upgrade technical means, optimize review mechanisms, compact entity responsibilities, and guarantee food safety and quality.
Taobao Flash Delivery (formerly Ele.me) responded that it resolutely executes the relevant administrative penalty decisions of SAMR. "We will conduct comprehensive investigations, govern resolutely, and continuously and normally carry out platform compliance construction and implement rectification work according to food safety regulatory requirements."
Douyin stated, "Regarding this penalty, our company sincerely accepts and resolutely implements it. We will continue to strengthen legal operations, continuously improve compliance governance levels, effectively fulfill social responsibilities, actively create a healthy platform ecology, and work with merchants on the platform to provide better services to consumers."
Taotian Group (Taobao, Tmall) stated it resolutely executes the relevant administrative penalty decisions of SAMR. "We will conduct comprehensive investigations, govern resolutely, and continuously and normally carry out platform compliance construction and implement rectification work according to food safety regulatory requirements."
"Ghost takeout" refers to businesses that have not obtained food business licenses entering e-commerce platforms to engage in takeout by renting licenses, using fake addresses, and forging store photos. The target of the Chinese authorities this time was ghost stores that subcontracted cake takeout orders at low prices, causing consumers to spend heavily on inferior cakes with food safety concerns. (Editor: Chen Kai-yu) 1150418
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.