Grab, Deliveroo, foodpanda unite to improve practices and standards

The three major food delivery companies here – Grab, Deliveroo and foodpanda – have set up an industry association to represent digital platforms, ahead of possible changes to the law to give platform workers greater protection.

- Kok Yufeng

In a break from the typically cutthroat competition seen among ecommerce and online service platforms, the three companies yesterday said they are banding together under the Digital Platforms Industry Association (DPIA) to strengthen the industry’s practices and raise standards.

The association plans to identify areas for improvement and work with the Government and other stakeholders to create solutions that “reflect the voices of its delivery partners and merchants”, it said yesterday.

It also intends to introduce an industry code of practice that will in corporate best practices relating to the health and safety of food delivery workers.

Observers said the new association may lead to improvements in the welfare of delivery workers, which could in turn improve service quality for consumers.

But these improvements are likely to be incremental and materialise only in the longer term.