The Swedish Competition Authority (SCA) has published the results of a follow-up analysis on contractual terms used by digital food ordering platforms in agreements with affiliated restaurants. The study focuses on exclusivity arrangements and price parity conditions, which may influence competition in the market for online food delivery.
The analysis is primarily based on a survey conducted in December 2024, following up on a broader 2021 sector survey examining competition in digital platform markets. The 2021 platform study investigated restaurants’ use of digital food platforms, including the prevalence of exclusivity agreements, under which a restaurant is contractually obligated to partner with only one platform. The survey at that time indicated that around half of the restaurants connected to a platform operated exclusively through that platform. Many of these restaurants reported that they considered themselves bound by formal exclusivity agreements.
In recent years, concerns have emerged regarding price parity conditions, where a restaurant is contractually restricted from offering lower prices through channels other than the food platform. While the Finnish Competition Authority has investigated such practices, the 2021 Swedish platform study did not examine these conditions in detail.
To address this gap, the SCA conducted a follow-up survey in autumn 2024, targeting restaurants using the three largest platforms in Sweden — Foodora, Uber Eats, and Wolt. The survey asked whether restaurants used multiple platforms and whether their agreements included exclusivity or price parity clauses. Of the 3,766 restaurants contacted, 2,962 successfully received the survey, and 177 responses were submitted, corresponding to a 6 percent response rate.
The SCA noted that the limited response rate requires cautious interpretation of the results, but the survey provides updated insights into the prevalence of exclusivity and pricing restrictions in agreements between food platforms and restaurants. The findings will inform the authority’s ongoing monitoring and supervision of competition in the digital food delivery market.
