JD.com投入逾3亿美元支持快递员住房建设，即时零售业务助力发展

JD.com承诺为即时零售快递员提供31亿美元住房支持，这一举措旨在改善其员工的住房条件，促进员工福利，进一步推动即时零售行业的发展，此举反映了JD.com对员工的重视和对行业的深度投资，旨在确保服务质量和员工满意度，从而推动公司的持续发展。

JD.com has committed 22 billion yuan ($3.12 billion) to expand housing support for its delivery workers, the Chinese e-commerce giant said on Friday, as competition intensifies in the fast-growing instant retail market.

The announcement, made through JD.com's official WeChat account, mirrors a similar move by food-delivery platform Meituan, which last month pledged 10 billion yuan over five years to strengthen welfare provisions for its riders.

JD.com, Meituan and Alibaba have been locked in a fierce contest for market share in the one-hour delivery segment, driving companies to spend heavily on consumer subsidies and discounts. The aggressive spending has tightened profit margins and drawn scrutiny from Chinese regulators, who recently summoned the firms and urged them to scale back the rivalry in favour of "rational competition."

The escalating battle has increased pressure on China's estimated 12 million couriers, who crisscross cities delivering everything from drinks to smartphones. Their working conditions have become a prominent public issue, amplified by films, memoirs and viral videos that spotlight the precarious nature of gig-delivery work.

Companies have responded by promising broader social-insurance coverage and revising incentive structures to reward timely deliveries rather than punish delays.

JD.com said it has already provided 28,000 housing units for front-line staff and plans to expand that to 150,000 units over the next five years. Meituan operates subsidised "Rider Apartments" in cities including Beijing, Shenzhen and Chongqing, offering stable and affordable accommodation, with some Beijing rents priced at about half the market rate.

($1 = 7.0558 Chinese yuan)