bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Yujie Xue

Minghe Hu

Delivery giant Meituan is moving away from the fixed commission fee it charges restaurants to one that takes into account distance, price, and time of the delivery, according to local media reports.
The new rules could drastically change how much restaurants are able to make on each order, although how much eateries will be affected remains unclear until the new fee structure is officially unveiled.
Meituan did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The reported fee restructuring comes after the Shanghai consumer rights watchdog summoned representatives from Meituan and Pinduoduo, China’s leading discount e-commerce platform, for “a lecture” on protecting consumer rights.
Shares of the two companies plunged on Tuesday amid a sell-off across the entire technology sector.
Meituan faces fine of billions of yuan over antitrust, analysts say
The Shanghai Consumer Council ordered both companies to abandon the mindset of solely pursuing user traffic on their platforms, and instead to focus on better protecting consumer rights and interests.
“Their approach of only caring about immediate gain is equal to ‘catching fish by draining the pool’. They should face the need to address the rights of consumers and create more value by strengthening self-governance, ” the council said in a statement on Monday.
Pinduoduo was found to have problems in product quality, counterfeits, and copyright infringements, according to the council’s statement. The watchdog also highlighted issues such as forced cancellation of orders, fake deliveries, and the use of misleading pricing to lure in new customers.
The council said that Meituan had problems with refunds on cancelled orders as well as problems with the deliveries in its food and fresh produce businesses. The council ordered the company to improve its webpage descriptions to highlight consumer rights information.
“The platform cannot rely on its dominant position in the market to increase the unreasonable burden on consumers and merchants,” the council said in both statements about the companies.
Meituan and Pinduoduo both said they would begin “self-inspection and rectification” and submit a follow-up report to the consumer council in the coming days.
The council also said it would be holding talks with other internet platforms to discuss similar problems.
Nasdaq-listed Pinduoduo’s stock fell 9.11 per cent at the close on Monday while Hong Kong-listed Meituan saw its shares close down 5.25 per cent on Tuesday.
Pinduoduo’s founder is China’s top donor with US$1.85 billion in charity
“The authorities are saying that the platforms can’t just make money without taking social responsibilities into consideration,” said Li Chengdong, chief executive of e-commerce consultancy Dolphin Think Tank.
The talks with Meituan and Pinduoduo are among the latest actions by Chinese regulators as they widen the scope of their ongoing crackdown on the country’s big tech companies.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) opened an investigation into Meituan in late April over the alleged monopolistic business practice of forcing merchants to “pick one from two” – which means choosing one platform as their exclusive distribution channel.
The investigation was announced before the 30-day deadline given to Big Tech during a lecture in mid-April when the SAMR, the China Cyberspace Administration and the China Taxation Administration, hauled in 34 of the country’s largest tech companies, including Meituan, Pinduoduo, Tencent Holdings, ByteDance, and Post owner Alibaba Group Holding, for a lecture on anti-monopoly behaviour.

Authorities ordered attendees to “pay full heed to the warning of Alibaba’s case” – after it was fined a record US$2.8 billion for anticompetitive behaviour – and to conduct “self-inspections” in the coming months, according to an official summary of the meeting published by China’s antitrust regulator.
Shanghai-based Pinduoduo recorded 788.4 million annual active buyers in 2020, surpassing Alibaba’s 779 million and JD.com’s 471 million, to become China’s largest e-commerce platform by user numbers. The company also expanded its business into online groceries with the launch of Duo Duo Grocery, and rolled out its own payment app Duoduo Wallet in December to grab a piece of China’s third-party mobile payment market.
Beijing-based Meituan accounts for more than two-thirds of the food delivery market in China. Last year it had over 510 million users on its platform, and has worked with more than 4 million couriers.
In March, Meituan’s community group-buying unit was fined 1.5 million yuan for breaching the country’s price law. It was one of a number of large platforms, including Pinduoduo and ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing, that were punished under the law.


Meituan reportedly ditches fixed commission fee as local regulators increase the heat on Big Tech

Meituan delivery riders rest on their electric scooters while waiting for orders outside a restaurant in Beijing on April 26, 2021. Photo: AFP

Food delivery couriers for Meituan gather around motorcycles in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Chinese delivery giant Meituan has raised $9.98 billion from a record top-up placement and a convertible bonds sale as it doubles down on efforts to fight the likes of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in newer areas such as online groceries. Photographer: Yan Cong/Bloomberg

Tech

Business

Big Tech

Policy


The Shanghai consumer rights council ordered Meituan and Pinduoduo to abandon the mindset of solely pursuing user traffic on their platforms
Meituan’s business practices were found to be problematic when it came to offering refunds for cancelled orders



Meituan is reportedly scrapping fixed commission fees, a move it made before being lectured by local authorities on the need to put consumer rights before profits.


Regulation

Pinduoduo

Meituan reportedly ditches fixed commission fee as local regulators increase the heat on Big Tech

The Shanghai consumer rights council ordered Meituan and Pinduoduo to abandon the mindset of solely pursuing user traffic on their platforms Meituan’s business practices were found to be problematic when it came to offering refunds for cancelled orders

The Shanghai consumer rights council ordered Meituan and Pinduoduo to abandon the mindset of solely pursuing user traffic on their platforms

Meituan’s business practices were found to be problematic when it came to offering refunds for cancelled orders