Swiggy expects 2 mn Instamart cloth bags returned per month by end of year

Food delivery giant Swiggy said that it has made its Instamart bags returnable across 19 cities in the country. Since its launch in August, 2020, Swiggy Instamart, Swiggy’s quick commerce grocery service has grown to lead the market by doing millions of orders each month. 

To deliver groceries to consumers, Swiggy launched free-of-cost, reusable cloth bags that are sturdy, maintain product privacy and have fun designs and creatives.  As more and more users have moved to Instamart for their everyday essentials delivered in minutes, the number of bags being used is also growing. While consumers are still reusing these cloth bags for other purposes, Swiggy is now giving them a simple way to return the excess bags. 

Across 19 cities today, Swiggy Instamart consumers can return the extra bags through the Swiggy delivery executive. Once the bag is returned, the Swiggy delivery executive will bring it to the Instamart store the next time they are there for an order. After a quality inspection, the bags will be sanitized, refurbished and then actively used for future orders. 

One month into the pilot, 300,000 Instamart bags are reused ones, we expect to reach 2 million bags returned per month by the end of the year with help of consumers. 

Swiggy will also incentivise all its delivery executives who bring the bags, helping them contribute meaningfully and also be rewarded with extra earnings. 

For example, Hanumanthappa T, Swiggy delivery executive from Bangalore has made an additional earning of Rs 1,250 in the last month just by collecting and returning the bags to the hub. Additionally, Vikram, a Swiggy Instamart customer from Gurugram holds the record for returning the maximum bags. 300 to be precise. With this initiative, Swiggy is trying everyday to create awareness among its delivery executives and customers as well to become ambassadors of reuse and reduce.