Govt to increase checks on quick commerce dark stores amid hygiene issues

FSSAI to lead surprise inspections as complaints about poor hygiene and expired products in dark stores mount; packaged food brands urge quick commerce platforms to improve standards

The central government is considering stepping up surveillance on rapid delivery platforms amid rising hygiene concerns flagged by food and health regulators at their dark stores, The Economic Times reported. These dark stores, essentially warehouses from which quick commerce platforms dispatch orders, have come under the scanner following multiple complaints from consumers and vendors.

 

“It’s a work in progress… the government has been receiving several complaints from consumers as well as retailers and vendors,” a senior government official said, as quoted by the report.

 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which falls under the Union Health Ministry, is expected to spearhead this crackdown. The FSSAI is reportedly planning to ramp up unscheduled checks at quick commerce dark stores and other storage facilities nationwide.

   

Role of FSSAI in monitoring

 

The FSSAI is tasked with setting standards for the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food items. It had previously urged state authorities to tighten inspections at quick commerce warehouses after concerns arose over hygiene and the sale of near-expiry products. In response, FSSAI amended its regulations last year, mandating that ecommerce and quick commerce platforms ensure at least 30 per cent of the product’s shelf life remains, or a minimum of 45 days before expiration, at the time of delivery.

 

The heightened scrutiny comes after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted raids on quick commerce platforms Zepto and Blinkit in Mumbai and Pune. The inspections revealed several hygiene violations, leading to the suspension of the dark stores’ licences.     

 

  Further compounding concerns, nearly a dozen packaged food companies have reportedly reached out to quick commerce platforms in recent months, citing specific issues with storage and handling at dark stores.

 

Dark patterns also under the radar

 

Beyond hygiene concerns, quick commerce platforms have also faced criticism for allegedly using dark patterns — deceptive design practices that mislead users. On May 28, Union consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi convened a meeting with leading internet platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit parent Eternal, Flipkart, BigBasket, Tata 1mg, Ola, and Rapido to address these concerns.

 

On June 7, the ministry issued an advisory urging ecommerce platforms to conduct self-audits within three months to root out dark patterns. Companies must then declare they are not engaging in such practices.     

 

Rapid expansion straining systems

 

Industry insiders noted that the rapid, and at times unchecked, growth of quick commerce platforms has strained their operational systems. “Earlier, quick commerce companies delivered our products along with soaps and shampoos… but we have been working with them to understand how ice creams need to be stored and delivered in separate containers,” an ice-cream brand founder said, as quoted by the report.

 

According to HSBC Global Research, quick commerce dark stores in India surged from around 1,800 at the end of FY24 to over 4,000 by FY25. These numbers could hit 5,500 by FY26, with leaders like Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, and others driving the expansion.

 

Blinkit alone recorded 142 million orders in the March quarter, highlighting the immense scale and operational demands of this sector.