China probes takeout firm Meituan over antitrust concerns

China’s market regulator says it has launched a probe into suspected monopolistic behavior by food delivery firm Meituan

HONG KONG -- China’s market regulator said Monday it has launched a probe into suspected monopolistic behavior by food delivery firm Meituan. The investigation comes amid increased scrutiny of internet companies suspected of anti-competitive practices. The State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement that it was looking into Meituan’s policies, including exclusivity arrangements known as “pick one of two.” Such practices are common in China, where e-commerce providers sometimes force merchants to exclusively sell their goods and services on just their internet platform.