Food delivery platforms are currently taking too large a share of the markup, said entrepreneur and former owner of the catering and food trading company AS 'Lido' Gunars Kirsons.
In response to the question of how fair the terms of food delivery platforms such as Bolt Food and Wolt are for catering businesses, Kirsons noted that the platforms take a large percentage, but ultimately, the customer pays for it.
"If you are a small restaurant, you are often literally brought to your knees, and you have to agree to their terms. Larger companies can still try to negotiate and say 'no' to excessively high commissions, but it is much more difficult for small ones to do so," Kirsons explained.
He also noted that it is difficult for the government to intervene in this process, as it cannot dictate pricing policies. However, in his opinion, this topic should be discussed - at seminars, joint meetings, and within the framework of industry agreements, as the situation needs to be somehow organized.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the arrival of platforms in the market had a positive effect.
"If these platforms did not exist, many businesses might not have survived at all," Kirsons added.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that at the government level - both in cooperation with the State Revenue Service and with other institutions - it is necessary to work on improving the quality and overall level of the industry.
He added that it is not enough to limit oneself to criticism, but it is necessary to "sit at the same table" and discuss the quality and the system that can be improved.
"Of course, the priorities now are safety, defense, and the economy, but these issues should not be overlooked," Kirsons emphasized.
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