A delivery rider carries a food package in Seoul, June 19, 2025. Newsis
Restaurants selling food through mobile delivery platform Coupang Eats on Friday protested the company’s free delivery promotion for consumers, claiming the costs of the promotion would ultimately be shifted onto them.
Korea's five small business associations, including the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprises, the Korea Merchant Association and the Korea Foodservice Industry Association, issued a joint statement saying the promotion will eventually make the platform’s market influence even stronger and result in higher platform usage fees for its partner restaurants.
The associations said the promotion will make Coupang Eats consumers rely on the company even more. They added that such market dominance will eventually make the company feel entitled to demand that the partner restaurants make a greater sacrifice.
Coupang Eats' promotional image for free delivery service / Courtesy of Coupang
