China issues new rules to bust 'ghost' takeout deliveries

BEIJING — Food sellers on Chinese delivery platforms must have physical shopfronts and indicate if they do not offer dine-in services under new rules unveiled on Monday to stamp out “ghost” takeout merchants. Fierce competition among food delivery apps has led to the spread of “ghost” merchants that lack dine-in premises and are accused of unsanitary conditions and of bypassing food safety regulations while posing as regular restaurants online. They often operate ou