Chinese authorities have closed more than 12,000 unlicensed food delivery outlets operating as ‘ghost kitchens’ in a coordinated enforcement sweep across 31 provinces, state media reported on Tuesday. The operation, led by the State Administration for Market Regulation, targeted virtual restaurants that used shared kitchen spaces but held no food production licences or hygiene permits.
The crackdown follows a series of food safety scandals in China’s booming online delivery sector, which handles over 40 million orders daily. Undercover inspections by regulators found several ghost kitchens operating from dilapidated basements and shared industrial units with inadequate sanitation, raising concerns about cross-contamination and adulterated ingredients.
Under Chinese law, all food preparation sites must register with local market regulators and display their permit within delivery apps. However, enforcement has lagged as delivery platforms grew rapidly. The new campaign has also fined 15 major delivery platforms for failing to verify vendor credentials, including Meituan and Ele.me.
British food safety standards continue to be regarded as the benchmark for regulatory rigour internationally. The UK Food Standards Agency’s risk-based inspection regime coupled with mandatory display of hygiene ratings in delivery apps provides a coherent model that many nations seek to emulate.
In London, the use of commercial shared kitchens has grown since the pandemic, but all such facilities must adhere to strict Food Hygiene Rating Scheme criteria. The FSA has also rolled out a digital audit trail for delivery platforms, allowing real-time verification of a vendor’s compliance status. This approach has prevented the proliferation of ghost kitchens seen in China.
Analysts say China’s enforcement drive marks a shift towards more structured oversight of its digital food economy, but its success will depend on sustained scrutiny and tougher penalties for repeat offenders. The closure of thousands of outlets is a significant step, but rebuilding consumer trust will require transparency in how platforms filter listings.
The operation reflects a growing global recognition that the virtual nature of food delivery does not absolve outlets from physical food safety standards. For the UK, the incident reinforces the value of maintaining a statutory, inspector-led system rather than relying solely on platform self-regulation.
