Food Delivery Platforms Research Articles

Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms

Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms

The healthiness of Australian food outlets available through online delivery platforms, by level of socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness

Online food delivery platforms are an emerging but poorly understood aspect of food retail environments. We collected data via web scraping methods from the two leading online food delivery platforms in Victoria, Australia, identifying 11,154 food outlets from Menulog, and 12,939 from Uber Eats (with 21,733 unique outlets available across both platforms). Outlets were classified according to their healthiness using a tool developed with Australian dietitians and public health nutritionists, and assigned a food environment score. Area level (suburb/neighbourhood) socioeconomic disadvantage was determined using the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, and relative remoteness was determined using both the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia and the Modified Monash Model. Across both food delivery platforms, approximately 15% of food outlets were classified as "unhealthy", 82% were classified as "less healthy", and 3% were classified as "healthy". More food outlets were available in areas of socioeconomic advantage, and in metropolitan areas. Food environment scores indicated that unhealthy outlets were significantly more available in areas with higher socioeconomic disadvantage and greater relative remoteness. Disparities in the healthiness of food outlets available through online food delivery platforms may have a negative influence on the purchasing and dietary behaviours of residents in these areas, thereby widening diet related health inequalities. Further research is required to understand the potential influence of online food delivery platforms on inequities in population diets and health.

Exploring the Implications of Working Conditions for Corporate Sustainability in Last-Mile Delivery Platform Companies

AbstractLast-mile delivery platforms have recently emerged as effective business models to match supply and demand, even though they have been criticized for potentially exploiting their workers. This paper investigates the corporate sustainability and socio-economic trade-offs of platform companies in relation to working conditions (i.e., work relationships, social subsystems, and technical subsystem). A survey of 392 paid-per-order workers from six food delivery platforms across Spain was conducted to validate our research framework. Our findings provide a nuanced understanding of the impact of working conditions on corporate sustainability in platform companies. On the one hand, there are positive implications for both social and economic sustainability in the presence of higher earnings, rights and protections, and empowerment for workers. Conversely, prolonged work relationships between workers and platform companies are negatively related to workers’ perceived stress and individual performance. Based on these insights, we advance our understanding of how platform companies can deal with conflicting objectives regarding working conditions by adopting an instrumental approach in the case of short-term workers and an integrative approach with long-term workers.

Social movements boosted online orders for US Black-owned restaurants after the murder of George Floyd.

We use the rise of Black Lives Matter and the sentiment of racial sympathy to examine the interplay between the social movement and citizens' sympathetic actions in supporting Black people. Using detailed food order flow information from one of the largest online food delivery platforms in the USA, we find that the total number of food orders from Black-owned restaurants increased by 39% relative to nearby non-Black-owned restaurants in the 140 days following the murder of George Floyd on the basis of a difference-in-difference model. The platform company's strategic traffic allocation acted as an accelerator, enhancing the sympathetic responses of individuals, but it did not drive the entire surge in food orders. Protests resulting in severe injuries and those linked to demands for defunding the police diminished the positive sympathetic responses, highlighting a potential risk associated with protests. Our study provides large-scale, micro-level evidence that social movements and increased sympathy can foster collective actions to support marginalized communities.

Algorithmic management, wellbeing and platform work: understanding the psychosocial risks and experiences of food couriers in Finland

ABSTRACT Digitalisation has made algorithmic management a defining feature of platform work. This study explores the psychosocial stresses and risks associated with different algorithmic management practices and analyses the applicability of Job Demand-Control-Support model in examining food delivery platform work. Our findings draw from 30 semi-structured interviews with platform food couriers in Finland. We applied Job Demand-Control-Support framework as the analysis matrix to inductive qualitative content analysis and compared the algorithmic management practices of the two dominant food delivery platforms in Finland. This study established that algorithmic management had direct and indirect intertwined negative psychosocial influence on couriers. These impacts were varied and were related to how algorithmic management was employed by the platforms. We also found that algorithmic management can increase work demands, decrease couriers’ control over their work, and limit workplace support. The study demonstrated that Job Demand-Control-Support model is suitable for analysing stress related to algorithmic management and platform work. This supports its application in future quantitative analyses. Our study deepens the understanding of psychosocial issues associated with the emerging trend of algorithmic management in workplaces, which is a fundamental dimension of the future of work. It highlights the need for regulatory measures relevant in ensuring healthy work environments.

Design and Implementation of a Community Waimai Delivery Assistant System Based on Path Optimization Algorithm

With the rapid development of the food delivery industry, how to efficiently complete delivery tasks in complex community environments has become an important challenge for food delivery platforms and delivery personnel. This project focuses on the problem of planning delivery routes for b0oth inside and outside residential areas, and designs and implements a delivery assistant system based on the Internet of Things and path optimization algorithms. The system utilizes the DFRobot IoT platform to achieve real-time communication between Python programs and mobile apps. Through various path optimization algorithms such as genetic algorithm and simulated annealing algorithm, the system automatically generates the optimal delivery path, significantly improving delivery efficiency and reducing delivery costs. The experimental results show that the system has good operability and reliability in practical applications, providing an effective solution for improving the intelligence level of food delivery

Occupational Safety and Health of Riders Working for Digital Food Delivery Platforms in the City of Milan, Italy.

The rapid growth of the digital economy has transformed various labor markets, including the food sector. The transient nature and the peculiar work environments of food delivery workers raise concerns about occupational safety and health (OSH). This study aims to better understand these issues by conducting a comprehensive exploratory survey on OSH among food delivery riders in Milan, Italy. The study employed structured interviews based on a validated questionnaire developed through a literature review, expert interviews, and input from riders and health and safety professionals. The survey was performed from July to November 2022 by interviewing riders at their main gathering points. We interviewed 240 riders, 97% males, 81% less than 35 years old, and 83% with extra-European origin. Delivery was performed mainly by traditional bicycles (40%) and e-bikes (46%), with 44% working seven days per week and 23% working more than 8 hours daily. Road accidents were reported by 39% of riders, influenced by type of vehicle, fatigue, and number of daily deliveries. Physical and verbal assaults (12% and 28%, respectively) were reported, as well as health-related issues, particularly musculoskeletal disorders. The findings underscore food delivery riders' complex challenges, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. The study calls for collaborative efforts between policymakers, employers, OSH professionals, and stakeholders to enhance OSH standards and promote decent working conditions, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Exploring the job (dis)satisfaction indicators of online food delivery employees: insights from employees' online reviews

PurposeThe present study sought to determine the main themes employees discussed in online reviews associated with satisfaction (pros) and dissatisfaction (cons).Design/methodology/approachThis study used qualitative content analysis to examine employee reviews working in India's largest food delivery company.FindingsThe analyses revealed the existence of seven themes: company environment, employees, salary, work–life balance, company culture and values, flexibility and favoritism. Negative themes were associated with the “work-life balance” and “favoritism” themes. The results provided valuable insights into online food delivery platform employees' overall experiences based on social media information and aided in identifying key themes associated with various satisfaction levels.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by uniquely utilizing user-generated content from an employment search engine as a novel data source to investigate the factors influencing satisfaction and dissatisfaction among online food delivery employees. This approach represents a significant departure from traditional survey-based methods, filling a gap in the literature by offering insights directly from employees' unfiltered perspectives. By leveraging this innovative methodology, our research provides a fresh and nuanced understanding of the experiences and concerns of online food delivery workers, thereby adding substantial value to the fields of organizational behavior and human resource management.

Does work overload of odd-job platform workers lead to turnover intention? An empirical study on platform workers

PurposeAgainst the background of the digital economy, odd-job platforms rely on artificial intelligence algorithms to efficiently allocate tasks and monitor platform workers’ performance, putting these workers under enormous pressure. This paper explores the relationship between work overload and turnover intention of platform workers on odd-job platforms and the factors that lead to platform workers’ turnover.Design/methodology/approachBased on the job demands–resources model (JD-R), we construct a theoretical model to explain the relationship between work overload and turnover intention of platform workers. We test job burnout as a mediator variable and perceived algorithmic fairness and job autonomy as moderating variables. We conducted a study at food delivery platforms and ride-hailing platforms in China.FindingsThe empirical results show that: (1) work overload increases the turnover intention of platform workers by increasing job burnout and (2) perceived algorithmic fairness and job autonomy moderate the positive relationship between work overload and job burnout.Originality/valueWe provide a theoretical basis to explain the influence of work overload on turnover intention of odd-job platform workers and provide practical recommendations for management of platform workers.

Precarity and agency in youthspaces of work: The case of food delivery platform workers in Athens, Greece

The growth of digital platforms is spawning new, if often precarious, forms of work. One such type of work that has particularly grown in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, is that of digital platform-facilitated on-demand food delivery services. Such deliveries are often undertaken by younger workers. Given this, here we explore the following research questions: (i) what forms of labour precarity are found and reproduced in the physical and digital spaces that young food delivery platform (FDP) workers create and inhabit?; and (ii) what types of agency do FDP workers develop within these spaces in order to navigate – and sometimes resist – precarity? Drawing upon concepts from critical Youth Studies, Geographical Political Economy and Labour Geography, the article develops the concept of precarious youthspaces of work to investigate the connections between youths’ everyday lives and the production of space. To do so we present a qualitative study conducted in Athens, Greece, that sought to capture the multifaceted working arrangements of FDP workers, both offline and online. Our analysis reveals that FDP workers suffer various forms of labour precarity which they must navigate. But such workers are not just accommodating to precarity. They have also generated forms of collective oppositional agency that are reshaping local labour markets. However, whilst their agency has sometimes generated solidarity and robust collective movements it has also led to divisions that have limited cooperation amongst FDP workers.

Thinking food delivery platforms infrastructurally: The practices and politics of Baemin's infrastructuralisation in Seoul

AbstractThe proliferation of food delivery platforms is profoundly changing the way urbanites eat, work, and move. These platforms increasingly mobilise urban resources and population to function as critical infrastructure in the field of logistics and transportation, giving rise to a new form of governance. This paper traces the infrastructuralisation of Baemin, the largest South Korean food delivery platform. By engaging with critical infrastructure studies, it seeks to make the infrastructuring work of platforms more visible and political, revealing an opening for progressive disruption. Drawing on the empirical data from a mobile ethnography in Seoul, the paper claims that Baemin operationalises distinct sociotechnical arrangements that infrastructurally integrate the labour of couriers in its automated operations and generate ceaseless urban flows. Furthermore, it brings to the fore the significance of couriers' embodied practices in enabling and sustaining the contingent, hence precarious, operation of the convenient platform‐mediated food delivery that many take for granted.

Tests to determine employer-employee relationships in India: looking towards the future?

ABSTRACT The employer-employee relationship forms the foundation from which a host of social security benefits and labour rights emerge. Workers are traditionally classified as employees hired under a contract of service or independent contractors hired under a contract for service. Over the years, Indian courts have relied on the control, integration, and multi-factor tests to determine the correct nature of employment contracts. This article explores the evolution of these tests and examines whether the burden of proof in determining the existence of employer-employee relationships requires modification. It then dissects the efficacy of the current multi-factor test in emerging platforms and gig economies by looking at the standard form contract signed by a popular food delivery platform with its delivery partners in India. Finally, the article explores the ability of the newly enacted labour codes, particularly the Code on Social Security 2020, to address the classification conundrum and its consistency with precedents.

Sustaining superior visibility within digital platforms through inside and outside competitive action repertoires

Although often credited with leveling the competitive playing field, platforms pose novel challenges for millions of complementors within their ecosystems. This study explores the tactics complementors use to maintain superior visibility on these platforms. Building on competitive repertoire theory, we conceptualize two categories of competitive actions that capture the dual environmental complexity faced by complementors: inside and outside competitive moves. We assemble a unique dataset from a leading food delivery platform in Europe, providing a comprehensive view of complementors’ competitive repertoires and visibility over ten months. We find that complementors’ inside competitive repertoires with high volume and complexity are associated with sustained superior visibility. However, we also find that complementors whose competitive repertoires diverge from those of their competitors are more likely to exit the superior visibility strata. Additionally, we identify outside action repertoires as a second pathway to differentiation, built on complementors’ idiosyncratic resources and less dependent on platform architecture and rules.

Between acceptance and resistance: Conceptualising migrant platform labour agency in Chile

AbstractDigital labour platforms are transforming labour markets worldwide, and migrant workers are pivotal in this transformation. Drawing on a qualitative study in Chile, we uncover how Latin American and Caribbean migrants navigate and resist platform labour conditions, considering the algorithmically controlled and surveilled aspects of food delivery platforms, as well as the impact of migration status on their work. We contend that understanding migrant labour agency requires examining both the platforms' socio‐technical structures and the host country's migration policies. These policies determine workers' migration status, shape their work experiences, and consequently impact their resistance to precarious labour conditions. We introduce the concept of migrant platform labour agency to illustrate the various forms of resistance migrants employ in navigating the platform labour market. This concept contributes to understanding the nuances in migrants' labour agencies, which range from acceptance to resistance, considering the interplay between the migration policy environment and platforms' socio‐technical assemblage.

Choice architecture promotes sustainable choices in online food-delivery apps.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the food system constitute about one-third of the global total, hence mitigation in this sphere of human activity is a vital goal for research and policy. This study empirically tests the effectiveness of different interventions to reduce the carbon footprint of food choices made on food-delivery apps, using an incentive-compatible online randomized controlled trial with 4,008 participants. The experiment utilized an interactive web platform that mimics popular online food-delivery platforms (such as Just Eat) and included three treatment conditions: a sign-posted meat tax, a carbon-footprint label, and a choice-architecture intervention that changed the order of the menu so that the lowest carbon-impact restaurants and dishes were presented first. Results show that only the choice-architecture nudge significantly reduced the average meal carbon footprint-by 0.3 kg/CO2e per order (12%), driven by a 5.6 percentage point (13%) reduction in high-carbon meal choices. Moreover, we find evidence of significant health and well-being co-benefits. Menu repositioning resulted in the average meal order having greater nutritional value and fewer calories, whilst significantly increasing self-reported satisfaction with the meal choice. Simple back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that menu repositioning would be a highly cost-effective policy instrument if implemented at scale, with the return on investment expected to be in the range of £1.28 to £3.85 per metric ton of avoided CO2 emissions, depending on implementation costs.

Do calorie labels change energy purchased in a simulated online food delivery platform? A multi-arm randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAs rates of obesity and overweight continue to increase in the UK, calorie labels have been introduced on menus as a policy option to provide information to consumers on the energy content of foods and to enable informed choices. This study tested whether the addition of calorie labels to items in a simulated food delivery platform may reduce the energy content of items selected.MethodsUK adults (n = 8,780) who used food delivery platforms were asked to use the simulated platform as they would in real life to order a meal for themselves. Participants were randomly allocated to a control condition (no calorie labels) or to one of seven intervention groups: (1) large size calorie labels adjacent to the price (LP), (2) large size label adjacent to the product name (LN), (3) small label adjacent to price (SP), (4) small label adjacent to product name (SN), (5) LP with a calorie label switch-off filter (LP + Off), (6) LP with a switch-on filter (LP + On), or, (7) LP with a summary label of the total basket energy content (LP + Sum). Regression analysis assessed the impact of calorie labels on energy content of foods selected compared to the control condition.ResultsThe mean energy selected in the control condition was 1408 kcal (95%CI: 93, 2719). There was a statistically significant reduction in mean energy selected in five of the seven intervention trial arms (LN labels (-60 kcal, 95%CI: -111, -6), SN (-73, 95%CI: -125, -19), LP + Off (-110, 95%CI: -161, -57), LP + On (-109, 95%CI: -159, -57), LP + Sum (-85 kcal, 95%CI: -137, -30). There was no evidence the other two conditions (LP (-33, 95%CI: -88, 24) and SP (-52, 95%CI: -105, 2)) differed from control. There was no evidence of an effect of any intervention when the analysis was restricted to participants who were overweight or obese.ConclusionAdding calorie labels to food items in a simulated online food delivery platform reduced the energy content of foods selected in five out of seven labelling scenarios. This study provides useful information to inform the implementation of these labels in a food delivery platform context.

Uncovering merchants’ willingness to wait in on-demand food delivery markets

While traditional on-demand food delivery services help restaurants reach more customers and enable doorstep deliveries, they also come with drawbacks, such as high commission fees and limited control over the delivery process. White-label food delivery services have emerged as an alternative, ready-to-use platform for restaurants to arrange delivery for customer orders received through their applications or websites, without the constraints imposed by traditional on-demand food delivery platforms or the need to develop an in-house delivery operation. Although several studies have investigated consumer behavior when using traditional on-demand food delivery services, there is limited research on merchants’ behavior when adopting white-label food delivery services. In this research, we develop a non-parametric survival model to estimate merchants’ willingness to wait when using white-label food delivery services and examine how various factors, such as delivery fees, the number of placed orders, and average waiting time, affect merchants’ willingness to wait, drawing on a dataset of both delivered and canceled orders from a crowd-sourcing delivery platform in Singapore. The empirical results show that merchants’ willingness to wait has a non-linear relationship with their average waiting time; it initially increases and then decreases with average waiting time. Moreover, the relationship between merchants’ willingness to wait during the pick-up stage and their average waiting times in the matching stage follows a similar non-linear trend. Merchants who have experienced lengthy waiting times on average in the matching stage tend to be less patient in the pick-up stage. This research sheds light on the stage-specific dynamics of merchants waiting behavior in white-label delivery service and provides insights for delivery platforms to optimize their operational strategies and enhance user experiences.

Трансформація готельно-ресторанного обслуговування в умовах цифровізації

The article is dedicated to exploring the unique aspects and primary trends in the digital transformation of hotel and restaurant services. It has been demonstrated that the increasing competition, the drive for operational efficiency, and the enhancement of customer service quality are key drivers for the adoption of digital technologies in the hotel and restaurant industry. Understanding and meeting evolving consumer expectations, such as the preference for online ordering, swift transaction processing, and personalized service, is also crucial in this digital shift. It has been established that under the influence of digitalization processes in all spheres of life, modern restaurants are actively implementing digital technologies, which allow the automation and optimization of most operational processes. Despite the growth of digital activity, domestic restaurants have yet to achieve the same pace of digitalization as other industries or similar enterprises in specific global contexts. This is evidenced by the insufficiently high share of electronic sales (about 12%) and the low implementation of BIG DATA technologies (8.9%) in the management and analytics of hotel and restaurant businesses. Research has revealed that several digitalization tools are being rapidly integrated into restaurant services, including digital marketing, the development of digital food delivery platforms (FoodTech), automated management systems, and interactive technologies. The digital transformation of business processes in food service establishments not only enables swift adaptation to market changes but also significantly enhances the competitiveness of the restaurant business. It is argued that the effectiveness of hotel and restaurant service digitalization processes depends on the choice of the most optimal balance between software tools and digital instruments and the authentic characteristics of each restaurant, the target customer base, their tastes and preferences, and the image strategy of positioning in the food service market. Keywords: digitalization, digital tools, hotel and restaurant business, automated management systems, digital transformation of hotel and restaurant services, digital marketing.

“We are Like Little Elves who Never get Their Own Name”– Identity in Food Delivery Platform Work

“We are Like Little Elves who Never get Their Own Name”– Identity in Food Delivery Platform Work

‘Most Favored Nation’ Clauses in the Online Food Delivery Platform Market: Beyond Booking.com Cases

The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a transformative shift in the European food service industry, with local restaurants increasingly turning to online food delivery platforms (OFDPs) to sustain their operations during lockdowns. However, this symbiotic relationship has raised concerns regarding the prevalence of Most Favoured Nation clauses (MFNs) within contractual agreements between local restaurants and OFDPs These clauses, designed to ensure price parity across different sales channels, have sparked debates over their impact on competition and consumer welfare. This is due to their potential effect of hindering local restaurants’ ability to compete effectively, thus, consumers may face reduced price options and higher food costs. The Bundeskartellamt’s landmark decisions regarding MFNs in the online accommodation sector concerning Booking.com have provided initial guidance, but the application of this approach to OFDP markets remains complex. Against this backdrop, and following the reasoning laid down in a more recent approach from the Bundeskartellamt, we propose a systematic methodology for evaluating the effects of MFNs, taking as a starting point of analysis OFDP market conditions and business models. Ultimately, we aim to address the balance between positive and negative effects of usingMFNs byOFDPs to incentivize platform investment and protect the efficiencies passed on to consumers and local restaurants.