Chongqing - China’s leading delivery and e-commerce platforms are expanding into healthcare services, shifting from on-demand medicine delivery to broader health management as demographic changes and consumer demand reshape the digital economy.
A delivery rider for Meituan's medicine delivery service. (Photo/Meituan)
At the 93rd China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) in Shanghai in April, major platforms including Meituan and Alibaba's Taobao Shangou unveiled new initiatives in medical services, ranging from AI-driven health tools to cold-chain logistics and supply chain integration.
Meituan announced partnerships with five major medical device brands, including Winner Medical and Yuwell, aiming to expand its healthcare supply network. The company said it currently connects with around 250,000 pharmacies nationwide and operates more than 4,400 local fulfillment hubs, enabling average delivery times of about 22 minutes.
The Meituan app's interface shows its online consultation and medicine-purchasing services. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
On April 12, Meituan introduced an AI-powered service called "Xiaotuan Health Assistant," designed to support family health management. The system offers functions such as symptom consultation, medication guidance, medical report interpretation, and digital health records.
At the same time, Taobao Shangou launched China's first integrated warehouse system for instant healthcare retail. Working with pharmaceutical distributor Jointown, the platform introduced a model that combines supply chain logistics, compliance systems, and digital operations. It also rolled out a cold-chain delivery service in 12 cities to handle temperature-sensitive products such as insulin and diagnostic reagents.
Interface of Taobao Shangou displaying its healthcare and medicine ordering features. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
These initiatives suggest a broader shift. Previously, instant healthcare services in China were largely associated with emergency scenarios - such as ordering fever medication or basic supplies within 30 minutes. Now, platforms are targeting long-term health management and home-based care.
Industry data shows that demand is expanding beyond emergency use. Meituan said its platform has served more than 380 million users, with consumers aged 25 to 40 accounting for the majority. More than 20% of orders are placed at night, indicating reliance on around-the-clock services.
A Xiaohongshu user shares the medicines they purchased on Taobao Shangou on social media. (Photo/Xiaohongshu)
Meituan's data show that orders related to chronic disease management, including cardiovascular and endocrine conditions, have increased by more than 30%, reflecting growing demand for continuous care.
At the same time, younger consumers are playing a larger role in health spending. JD Health's data shows that users aged 16 to 25 have seen nearly 60% growth in participation, while consumers increasingly purchase products for family members, with proxy purchases accounting for about 20% of orders.
China's aging population is also a key driver. According to the "Silver Economy Development Report (2025)," people aged 60 and above reached 323 million, or 23% of the population. This demographic shift is increasing demand for home-based healthcare, chronic disease monitoring, and elderly care products.
On the supply side, instant retail platforms are reshaping the distribution of medical products. Traditional retail channels often face issues such as fragmented product availability, slow delivery, and high inventory costs. By contrast, the use of "front warehouses" allows platforms to position inventory closer to consumers.
A staff member at Meituan handles pharmaceutical products inside a company-operated warehouse. (Photo/Meituan)
According to industry data, output per front warehouse is now 21.5 times that of traditional pharmacies and accounts for nearly half of the instant retail medical device market.
Taobao's model focuses on supply chain integration through partnerships, while Meituan has emphasized direct control of logistics through its own network. Analysts say the two approaches represent different strategies: one centered on ecosystem collaboration and the other on operational control.
AI is also becoming a point of differentiation. In addition to Meituan's health assistant, JD Health has announced plans to integrate AI into medical devices, while Alibaba Health has developed its own medical AI tools. Industry analyst Zhang Yi said the platforms are pursuing distinct strengths: JD focuses on supply chain execution, Alibaba on ecosystem integration, and Meituan on local service scenarios.
The expansion comes as China's instant retail market continues to grow. According to a report by the Ministry of Commerce, the sector is expected to reach nearly 1 trillion yuan (about 146.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025 and exceed 2 trillion yuan by 2030, with healthcare-related services identified as a major growth driver.
Within pharmaceutical retail, online-to-offline (O2O) delivery is growing faster than traditional e-commerce. Market data shows O2O pharmaceutical sales increased by 35.2% year-on-year, while growth in business-to-consumer (B2C) models has slowed.
Policy changes are also supporting expansion. Several regions in China have introduced pilot programs that allow health insurance coverage for online and delivery-based pharmacy services, lowering barriers for consumers and accelerating adoption.
Industry participants say the development of instant healthcare retail is reshaping how services are delivered outside hospitals. By enabling faster access to medicines, devices, and consultation services, platforms are extending healthcare into homes and daily life.
Another industry analyst said collaboration between platforms and medical device companies is opening new opportunities for home healthcare products and services, with a model combining devices, delivery, and health management poised to become mainstream.
At the same time, analysts note that healthcare remains a highly regulated sector, and AI is expected to play a supporting rather than a primary role. Clinical decisions and medical responsibility still rely on professional practitioners.
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