# India Urges Quick Commerce Apps to Scrap 10-Minute Delivery Pledge
India's quick-commerce sector faces a significant turning point as the government pressures leading platforms to abandon their aggressive 10-minute delivery promises, marking a pivotal shift in how the industry balances speed with worker safety and welfare. Following intervention by the Union Labour Ministry, major players including Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart are removing the contentious delivery timeline claims from their branding and marketing communications, responding to mounting concerns about gig worker safety and working conditions.
Government Intervention and Labour Ministry's Stance
The Centre has taken decisive action to address the impact of rapid delivery targets on gig workers.[2] Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with executives from Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart to discuss the adverse effects of strict delivery timelines on delivery personnel.[3] The government's intervention stems from growing evidence that time-bound delivery promises encourage unsafe practices and create excessive operational pressure on last-mile delivery workers.[2]
This move represents a significant regulatory shift in India's e-commerce landscape. The decision came shortly after India granted legal status to millions of gig and platform workers under new labour laws, which require aggregators to contribute 1% to 2% of their annual revenue to a government-managed social security fund.[3] The government's push reflects a broader commitment to protecting worker welfare in the rapidly expanding quick-commerce sector.
Impact on Gig Workers and Safety Concerns
Worker safety has emerged as the central issue driving this policy change.[2] Delivery workers and labour groups have consistently raised concerns about safety risks and work-related stress linked to time-bound delivery targets, with workers stating that rigid timelines encourage unsafe driving practices and increase operational pressure.[2] These issues gained prominent attention during a nationwide gig workers' strike on New Year's Eve, when workers demanded better pay, social security benefits, and changes to delivery expectations.[2]
AAP MP Raghav Chadha brought attention to the matter in Parliament, highlighting how time-bound delivery promises increase accident risks.[2] To demonstrate the challenging conditions faced by gig workers, Chadha undertook deliveries while wearing a Blinkit delivery partner jacket, drawing public attention to worker welfare concerns.[2] This activism helped catalyze government action and contributed to platforms reconsidering their marketing strategies.
Platform Response and Market Adjustments
Blinkit has already made significant changes to its marketing approach, dropping its iconic "10-minute delivery" tagline and replacing it with "30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep."[4] The platform also shifted its principal messaging from "10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes" to emphasize product range rather than speed.[4] According to media reports, competitors Zepto and Swiggy Instamart have agreed to remove the "10-minute delivery" claim from advertisements, branding, and marketing communication.[2]
However, industry analysts suggest that while the removal of the 10-minute tagline appears significant, the underlying business model may remain largely unchanged.[4] Brokerage firm Elara Capital characterizes the removal as "largely optics-driven rather than business-altering," noting that platforms will continue optimizing routes, entry points, and backend processes to maintain fast delivery speeds even without aggressive marketing claims.[4] Quick commerce companies are also diversifying beyond pure grocery and FMCG into categories such as accessories, beauty, toys, and household appliances, where speed remains valued but not strictly defined by the minute.[4]
The Evolution of India's Quick Commerce Sector
The quick-commerce model has experienced unprecedented growth in India's urban markets over the past few years.[3] Companies like Zepto, Blinkit, and Instamart have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into establishing "dark stores"—strategically located warehouses that serve as distribution hubs—and hiring large armies of delivery personnel.[3] This rapid expansion has made instant delivery a normalized expectation among urban consumers, who have grown accustomed to receiving everything from electronics to groceries within 10 to 15 minutes.
The decision to drop the 10-minute delivery promise represents a moment of maturation for India's quick commerce sector.[4] Rather than viewing the change as a setback, analysts see it as an industry inflection point that reflects growing recognition of the need to balance growth with worker welfare. The move also signals how quick commerce is evolving beyond pure speed competition into a more sustainable business model that emphasizes product range, convenience, and responsible labor practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did India's government intervene in quick commerce delivery promises?
India's Labour Ministry intervened due to mounting evidence that 10-minute delivery targets create unsafe working conditions for gig workers, encouraging dangerous driving practices and excessive stress.[2] The concerns were amplified by nationwide gig worker strikes in late December, where workers called for better pay, social security, and changes to delivery expectations.[2]
Which platforms have agreed to drop the 10-minute delivery claim?
Blinkit has already removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its marketing, and according to media reports, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart have also agreed to remove the claim from advertisements and branding.[2] All three major quick-commerce platforms are aligning with the government's direction.
Will removing the 10-minute delivery claim actually slow down deliveries?
Industry analysts suggest the removal is primarily a marketing change rather than a fundamental business alteration.[4] Platforms will continue optimizing routes and backend processes to maintain fast delivery speeds, but they will no longer aggressively advertise the 10-minute timeframe.[4]
What new labour laws protect gig workers in India?
India recently granted legal status to millions of gig and platform workers under new labour laws that define gig workers in statute and require aggregators to contribute 1% to 2% of their annual revenue (capped at 5% of worker payments) to a government-managed social security fund.[3]
How might quick commerce companies adapt their business strategies?
Companies are expected to diversify beyond pure grocery and FMCG into categories like accessories, beauty, toys, and household appliances, where speed is valued but not strictly defined by the minute.[4] In less penetrated non-metro markets, companies may rely on localized campaigns rather than dramatic delivery claims.[4]
What was the role of AAP MP Raghav Chadha in this issue?
Raghav Chadha drew attention to delivery target impacts on gig worker safety in Parliament and personally undertook deliveries while wearing a Blinkit delivery partner jacket to demonstrate the challenging conditions workers face.[2] His activism helped highlight worker welfare concerns and contributed to government intervention.