Locked down and fed up Shanghai residents offered some hope as e-commerce giants start to bring deliveries back up to speed

Shanghai residents, who are struggling to buy daily essentials amid a strict citywide lockdown to combat an outbreak of Covid-19, have received a glimmer of hope as the country’s private e-commerce platforms begin to get their operations up and running again.

The encouraging news came after a leaked chat record from Xu Lei, the new chief executive of JD.com, went viral on social media as he detailed the difficulties of making deliveries into Shanghai households due to the strict anti-epidemic control measures adopted by local authorities.

“If one key point in the supply chain is not working, that means a total collapse, with merchandise being left in warehouses and green vegetables in the soil,” said Xu in the leaked posts. “Our operation is under huge pressure, last night we had millions of orders from Shanghai, but we still need to access our locked warehouses, get green passes for our vans, [and collaborate with] local communities.”

JD.com did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

China’s State Council on Monday issued a notice to local governments, asking them to ensure the smooth operation of logistics. In Shanghai, vice premier Sun Chunlan said that the city must make make an all-out effort to ensure sufficient supplies of food and other daily necessities.

The robust Shanghai lockdown has resulted in loud online protests from residents who have, in some cases, struggled to put food on the table. A WeChat official account article written by a Pudong-based blogger using the online handle “stormzhang” on the bleak picture in the city – the mainland’s premier financial hub – went viral on Friday before being blocked.