74% of consumers back limit on 10-minute deliveries: LocalCircles

A LocalCircles survey shows strong consumer backing for curbing 10-minute delivery promises, amid safety concerns, even as medicines remain the top product for rapid delivery

Seventy-four per cent of quick-commerce consumers support the government’s move to restrict 10-minute deliveries, according to a LocalCircles survey, suggesting a pullback from ultra-fast service. About 38 per cent said they never want such deliveries, while among those who do, medicines emerged as the top use case, followed by daily essentials. The survey drew more than 90,000 responses from districts where quick commerce operates.

 

“It must be noted here that while consumers enjoy these services, many are concerned about road safety and driver safety as well and believe that the delivery should be pressure-free for the rider,” said LocalCircles, a leading community platform.

 

The Union labour ministry, led by Mansukh Mandaviya, has urged leading quick-commerce companies to stop advertising fixed “10-minute” delivery promises, citing concerns that extreme timelines place undue pressure on delivery partners, compromise road safety, and worsen gig-worker conditions.

 

After government discussions and mounting pressure from gig-worker unions — including strikes in late December over pay and safety — Blinkit has removed its 10-minute delivery tagline from its app and branding, replacing it with more generic doorstep-delivery messaging. Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato are expected to follow, according to LocalCircles.

 

The move stops short of banning ultra-fast logistics but signals a recalibration towards more sustainable, worker-friendly practices. Industry experts say it is unlikely to derail the quick-commerce model, though it may reset consumer expectations and push platforms to balance speed with safety and labour welfare. LocalCircles said the shift marks a turning point for India’s fast-growing quick-commerce market as regulatory scrutiny of labour standards intensifies alongside innovation and growth.

 

Indian consumers, many of whom share feedback on LocalCircles, have debated the issue in terms of convenience, value and road safety. A nationwide LocalCircles survey sought to gauge consumer views on 10-minute delivery and the products they want delivered quickly. The survey drew more than 90,000 responses from users across 180 urban districts, with 49 per cent from tier-I cities, 28 per cent from tier-II locations, and 23 per cent from tier-III and tier-IV districts.

 

Consumers use quick-commerce platforms for a wide range of products, from groceries and cooked food to medicines. Among those who favour 10-minute delivery, medicines ranked highest, followed by essentials and discretionary items. Of the 25,621 respondents who selected products for rapid delivery, 100 per cent prioritised medicines, 55 per cent selected essentials, and 25 per cent discretionary items.

 

“The question that requires pondering is, unless it is a lifesaving drug or medicine, why are quick-commerce platforms pushing riders to deliver orders in 10 minutes when most consumers can afford to wait an extra 10–15 minutes for delivery of most other products,” LocalCircles said.