Market Regulators in Xi’an Summon E-commerce Platforms to Stabilize Commodity Prices During Local Bout of COVID-19 Cases

Local market regulators in Xi’an, the capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, have summoned more than 20 e-commerce and online food delivery platforms, including JD.com, Meituan and Freshippo. The authorities aim to stabilize prices and ensure supply as the prices of vegetables and other commodities have risen due to a recent flare-up of COVID-19 transmissions in the city, according to local online news outlet xiancn.com on Monday.

Relevant authorities in Xi’an issued a number of measures to crack down on illegal activities such as hoarding and price gouging, aiming to regulate market actors’ behavior and maintain a stable market.

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Local authorities in the city of roughly 10 million people have been inspecting major supermarkets and retail stores, handling cases of regulatory violations and closely monitoring commodity prices. A total of 4,647 inspectors were reportedly dispatched to inspect 4,461 markets, including 222 farm markets, 1,801 supermarkets and community convenience stores, 1,299 pharmacies and 157 hotels.