New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at safeguarding consumer health, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is preparing to implement stricter regulations for quick-commerce and online grocery platforms, including Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto, and Amazon Now.
As the 10-minute delivery model experiences explosive growth within India’s estimated $80 billion online market, the food regulator has raised serious concerns regarding inadequate product transparency and storage practices. According to authorities, a primary issue is that consumers are frequently unable to check crucial details—such as the manufacturing date, expiry date, and batch number—before placing an order on these fast-delivery applications.
Addressing the impending regulatory changes, FSSAI Chief Executive Officer Rajat Punhani stated that the regulatory body is actively working to tighten the rules for e-commerce companies to establish clear accountability. The proposed framework aims to ensure that online platforms offer the same level of product transparency as physical retail stores.
A major focus of the FSSAI’s impending crackdown will be the rigorous inspection of ‘dark stores’ and ‘dark kitchens’—localised warehouses and food preparation facilities that exclusively cater to online deliveries. The regulatory body plans to increase surprise inspections at these micro-fulfillment centres to verify whether perishable goods, particularly dairy and frozen foods, are being stored at the correct temperatures and under hygienic conditions.
The regulatory push follows a recent surge in consumer complaints regarding expired, misbranded, or substandard products delivered via quick-commerce channels. In response to the growing regulatory scrutiny, an Amazon spokesperson clarified the company’s operational stance, noting that their platform functions as an online marketplace for independent sellers. The spokesperson emphasised that products failing to comply with safety rules are promptly removed from the platform once detected.
If the new regulations are officially enforced, quick-commerce giants will likely be mandated to revamp their application interfaces to prominently display product shelf-life details. Furthermore, these platforms will need to implement stricter quality control measures across their dark store networks, ensuring that the race for 10-minute deliveries does not compromise basic food safety.