With workers' safety in mind, the Union Labour Ministry has directed quick commerce platforms to do away with 10-minute delivery timelines. This move targets concerns over intense work pressure and unsafe delivery conditions. Platforms affected include Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart.
The announcement follows recent meetings between government officials and major aggregators. It comes at a time when app-based delivery workers’ conditions are under sharp scrutiny, especially the pressure created by tight delivery timelines.
Labor and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya flagged the issue of intense delivery targets, long working hours, and mounting stress faced by gig workers. Officials noted such emphasis on ultra-fast deliveries has created unsafe incentives, pushing workers to take risks to meet deadlines.
The ministry wants platforms to stop branding based on speed and to provide safe and sustainable working conditions. This order also coincides with the larger claims of gig workers around better payments and lighter workloads.
Discontent among delivery partners had surfaced publicly late last year, when a section of workers went on strike on December 31, protesting excessive pressure linked to rapid delivery commitments.
The directive is unlikely to cause an immediate disruption to quick commerce operations, but it may reshape how platforms compete. While delivery timelines could see a modest increase, demand for instant groceries and daily essentials is expected to remain steady.
Industry observers said consumer choices are influenced as much by convenience, assortment and reliability as by speed, giving aggregators room to adapt without a sharp impact on volumes.
Blinkit has already removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its branding. Sources said the company has reworked its messaging to highlight product range and availability rather than speed, indicating a shift in how quick commerce services are positioned. Other platforms are expected to make similar changes in the coming days, though no official statements have been issued so far.
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Concerns sharpened after a video went viral earlier this month showing a delivery agent jumping off a moving train to complete an order. The incident occurred earlier in January, in Andhra Pradesh, when the agent boarded the Prashanti Express to deliver food to a passenger in a First AC coach.
Officials said this latest move aims to prevent such risky behavior, reduce work-related stress, and improve overall safety for delivery partners.