A food delivery person of Chinese food-delivery and online services provider Ele.me Photo: IC

Chinese delivery giants Meituan, Ele.me have launched flexible measures for their riders amid a cold snap, and heavy snowfall in parts of the country. Measures include canceling the assessments over delayed delivery and bad reviews, while also providing free lunch and cold-resistant food and drinks for riders. 

Alibaba-backed Ele.me said the new measures will let riders work with reassurance. If the weather is extremely bad, the platform will shut down the delivery service in the area to ensure the safety of riders, according to a note Ele.me sent to the Global Times on Monday.

Since the beginning of winter, Ele.me has invested tens of millions of yuan to distribute nearly one million cold-proof materials, including windproof knee pads, handlebar gloves and scarves.

Meituan has invested 1.6 billion yuan ($250 million) in subsidies for riders working in cold weather nationwide, and one million items of winter proof equipment and clothing to colder cities across the country, according to a note Meituan sent to the Global Times on Monday.

The effort came as part of a broader push from Chinese regulators to improve conditions for "gig-economy" workers.

On Friday, Chinese authorities sat down with 11 leading internet platforms - mainly providers of delivery, ride-hailing, hauling and online retail services including Meituan, Ele.me and Didi Chuxing - to offer guidance on protecting the rights and interests of workers within new forms of employment.

Acknowledging these companies' progress in implementing a regulatory document on protecting the rights and interests of workers, the meeting called on them to hear their workers' needs, tighten oversight over employment agencies with which they are collaborating, and continue to improve their algorithms and work practices.

In August 2021, several Chinese regulatory bodies met with a number of Chinese food delivery companies to call for better safeguards for platform workers.