As India’s quick commerce ecosystem surges toward a projected $10 billion market by 2029, hygiene and food safety have taken center stage. Recent incidents involving major players have raised red flags—Zepto's food licence was suspended in Dharavi due to hygiene lapses, and a Blinkit dark store in Pune was shut for operating without the necessary licence.
These lapses have caught the attention of the Consumer Affairs Ministry, which is reportedly coordinating with multiple departments to tighten the noose on regulatory enforcement. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is expected to conduct surprise inspections across q-commerce storage units and dark stores nationwide.
This signals a crucial pivot for the industry: in the rush to deliver faster, companies can no longer afford to overlook operational hygiene and compliance. With consumer expectations evolving, transparency and food safety are poised to become defining factors in building long-term trust and market leadership.