Delivery app commissions have emerged as the biggest financial burden for restaurant operators, leading to increased menu prices and passing costs on to consumers. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A large majority of South Koreans believe food delivery platforms should be the first targets of government regulation, reflecting growing public frustration over rising delivery fees and platform commissions, according to a new nationwide survey.
More than 87 percent of respondents said they agree that delivery apps require stronger oversight, with nearly two-thirds naming services such as Baedal Minjok and Coupang Eats as the online platforms most urgently in need of regulation. The findings suggest that concerns over cost structures and market power in the delivery sector have moved firmly into the mainstream.
The poll, conducted by research firm T-Bridge Corporation on Nov. 25–26 among 1,005 adults nationwide, found that 91.5 percent of respondents had used food delivery apps. Among them, 58.3 percent cited “excessively high delivery fees” as their biggest complaint.
High brokerage commissions and advertising fees imposed on merchants were also widely seen as urgent problems, with one-third of respondents identifying them as the top issue facing online platforms.
Public dissatisfaction extended beyond delivery services but was most pronounced in that sector. After delivery apps, respondents pointed to direct-to-consumer e-commerce platforms and accommodation and travel apps as candidates for regulation.
Still, delivery platforms stood out as the focal point of consumer anger, particularly over what many perceive as unilateral fee hikes enabled by dominant market positions.
Growing Interest in the Introduction of a Cap on Delivery App Fees. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The survey also showed broad support for sector-specific regulation rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. More than 83 percent favored customized rules tailored to industries that generate the most controversy, aligning with a growing policy debate in Seoul over how to rein in powerful digital platforms.
That sentiment is increasingly echoed in politics. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party have recently proposed legislation aimed at capping intermediary commissions, payment fees and advertising costs charged by food delivery platforms, as well as setting minimum and maximum limits on delivery fees.
Party officials are expected to begin formal legislative procedures early next year after further public consultation.
As delivery apps have become essential infrastructure for both consumers and small businesses, the survey suggests that tolerance for rapidly rising fees is wearing thin — and that public opinion may now be tilting decisively in favor of targeted regulation.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
