The statistics office's experimental statistics on food delivery costs have become meaningless. This is because, while delivery fees have significantly decreased due to intensified competition among delivery apps, the prices set by restaurants for delivered food have increased, resulting in a different trend for delivery fees compared to the overall food delivery prices. The statistics office's dilemma about whether to formally incorporate the delivery fee statistics has deepened.
According to relevant authorities on the 19th, the statistics office has been compiling 'food delivery costs' as an experimental statistic since November 2022, deducting in-store prices from delivery prices.
The statistics office uses the delivery fee from November 2022 as a base (100) and announces a delivery fee index covering three months every quarter. The food delivery cost index showed a steady increase each month in 2023 but began to decline starting in 2024. Notably, the delivery fee index in May, July, and August of last year was around 60, which is two-thirds of the level from November 2022.
The decrease in food delivery costs began with the competition among delivery apps that started last year. As the number of users declined after the end of COVID-19, delivery apps have been increasing their user numbers through free delivery promotions.
Coupang Eats provided unlimited free delivery services for Coupang Wow members starting in March last year, while Baedal Minjok and Yogiyo changed their services in April last year to allow customers to choose free delivery benefits. An official from the statistics office interpreted, "The delivery fees decreased as delivery apps began the zero-cost delivery promotions last year."
◇ Delivery fees decreased, but consumer burden increased due to dual pricing system
Although the burden of delivery fees has decreased, consumers do not feel a reduction in the price of delivered food. Some delivery apps have transferred the burden of free delivery to food service operators, resulting in restaurant owners reflecting the delivery fees in food prices. Food service operators utilize a 'dual pricing system' to cover cost increases by pricing delivered food higher than in-store prices and including the delivery fee in the food cost.
Last year, Lotteria, McDonald's, KFC, Popeyes, Burger King, Frank Burger, Pizza School, and Hosikidumari Chicken implemented a dual pricing system, pricing delivered food higher than in-store prices. This year, Bonjuk, Bonjuk & Bibimbap, Baskin Robbins, and some Mom's Touch stores are also applying the dual pricing system.
The Franchise Association noted, "Given that food service companies are giving 25% to 30% of delivery sales to delivery apps, they are practically devastated with nothing left," and stated that the association recommends the dual pricing system to franchised enterprises.
Self-employed individuals operating personal stores are also adopting the dual pricing system due to the burden of delivery app fees. According to a survey conducted by the Consumer Network last month, 47.6% of 502 food service operators responded that they have experienced increases in menu prices due to rising delivery app fees, and 34.8% stated that they have implemented a higher price for menu items on delivery apps compared to offline stores. In self-employed communities, there have been continuing reports such as, "I introduced the dual pricing system to reduce the burden of delivery app fees" and "I raised the minimum order price."
Recently, delivery platforms proposed a 'differentiated fee proposal based on sales' as a cooperative measure, but the dual pricing system is not expected to disappear. Starting this month, delivery platforms are implementing a cooperative plan that reduces intermediary fees from 9.8% to 2% to 7.8% while increasing delivery fees. However, business owners are responding, "Even if daily sales are below 100,000 won, we fall into the top 35% of restaurants and incur the maximum fee rate (7.8%)" and "Although the fees have decreased, delivery costs have actually increased, causing significant damage." According to Baedal Minjok's simulation, for restaurants in the top 35% of sales, the minimum order amount must exceed 25,000 won for the cooperative plan to alleviate burdens.
◇ “Dual pricing system affects food service prices”… Statistics office delivery fee index does not reflect consumer sentiment
Given the circumstances, even though delivery fees have decreased, food prices are continuing to rise steadily. According to the statistics office, the inflation rate of the consumer price index (compared to the same month last year) remained in the 1% range from September to December of last year, but the inflation rate for food service prices recorded in the high 2% range. In contrast, the delivery fee index dropped from 87.2 in September last year to 81.7 in December.
The inflation rates for food service prices in January and February this year were recorded at 2.9% and 3.0%, respectively, surpassing the consumer price inflation rates of 2.2% in January and 2.0% in February. The delivery fee index for January and February of this year has not been announced yet, but it is estimated to have remained low due to the continued free delivery services of delivery apps.
The influence of the dual pricing system can also be confirmed by the inflation rates of some items. After Hansot Dosirak introduced a dual pricing system in October last year, the price of lunch boxes increased by 8% compared to the previous year, and it also rose by 11.1% in November. In September, just before the implementation, the inflation rate of lunch box prices was merely 2.5%, but it surged.
The statistics office's concerns about compiling food delivery costs have deepened. This is because the statistics office's food delivery cost index fails to adequately reflect food delivery prices. Professor Seo Yong-gu from Sookmyung Women's University stated, "It is difficult to discern the current state of food delivery prices based solely on the current delivery fee index," urging the statistics office to prepare statistics that reflect reality.
The statistics office noted that when it revises the consumer price index for the year 2025, it will consider selecting food delivery costs as a new item and will examine this matter in tandem. An official from the statistics office stated, "If a new statistic is selected, we need to discuss whether we will only investigate delivery fees or include delivery food prices as well," adding, "Restaurant owners are increasing the minimum order amount, so there are concerns regarding this issue as well."
Furthermore, it is crucial to determine how much food delivery costs are accounted for in household expenditure, stating, "If food delivery costs are included in the statistics, they are expected to be disclosed starting December 2026."