Meituan’s Wang Puzhong: Instant Retail Has Passed Hardest Stage

The framing matters more than the milestone claim: by declaring demand cultivation and network build-out finished, Meituan's local commerce leadership is signaling that competition shifts from logistics density to assortment and supply-side economics. That reframes instant retail as a merchandising business rather than a delivery business, which affects brands and retailers deciding how to position inventory across platforms. The open question is whether the "commodity era" language reflects an internal strategic pivot or an industry-wide maturation, and how rivals respond.