Blinkit drops 10-minute delivery promise after labour ministry nudge

While there is no law yet prohibiting these platforms from advertising 10-minute delivery, the message has been conveyed through government intervention, says sources

Acting on the labour ministry’s intervention, following concerns related to gig workers’ working conditions, quick-commerce (qcom) platform Blinkit on Tuesday dropped its 10-minute delivery promise. Its competitors, including Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, are likely to follow suit, as Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asked quick commerce companies to discontinue the branding of 10-minute delivery, sources said.

 

The move comes weeks after nationwide protests by gig workers’ unions.  Demanding a ban on 10-minute deliver, gig workers had protested against low compensation and unfavourable working conditions in the high-growth quick commerce industry, which is backed by marquee investors.

 

In a meeting held last week, Mandaviya spoke to representatives of various qcom platforms, including Zomato-owned Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and others, to address concerns around delivery timelines and the pressure placed on gig workers, a government official said.

   

During the discussions, the companies told the minister that rapid delivery targets were enabled by multiple local warehouses rather than by pressuring delivery partners. However, Mandaviya urged the platforms to discontinue the branding practice in the interest of gig workers’ welfare.

 

While there is no law yet prohibiting these platforms from advertising 10-minute delivery, the message has been conveyed through government intervention, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

 

The official quoted above added that Blinkit has already acted on the directive and removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its branding. Blinkit has revised its principal tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep”, the person said.

 

Email queries sent to Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Flipkart Minutes, BigBasket, and Zepto did not elicit any response until press time.

 

The platforms pointed out that there has been no official letter or formal directive from the government asking them to change their branding.

 

Sources at Swiggy Instamart and Zepto said both companies were considering changes to branding and marketing initiatives, including dropping the 10-minute delivery promise.

 

“It’s important to note that half of the deliveries don’t happen in 10 minutes and usually take longer. If it’s about dropping the claim of 10-minute deliveries, it should not be a big problem, but that doesn’t change the business model in any way,” said a source at a large qcom firm.

 

Another executive at a different platform echoed similar views, mentioning that delivery timelines from dark stores will remain largely unchanged, with no significant impact on business and operations.

 

A quick look at the mobile applications of several qcom platforms showed that the 10-minute branding is still visible. A few delivery partners also said they have not yet received any communication from platforms regarding changes in delivery timelines or operations.

 

Industry executives noted that hyper-fast delivery messaging has intensified as companies prepare for initial public offerings, and argued that the focus should instead shift to labour codes and benefits for gig workers rather than marketing claims.

 

“This is a good decision by the government to nudge qcom platforms to do away with the 10-minute delivery timeline. It will reduce unnecessary pressure on riders and dark-store workers and have a positive impact on road safety,” said Sachin Taparia, founder of community social media platform LocalCircles.

 

According to a CareEdge Advisory report, India’s qcom market is on a rapid growth trajectory, with gross order value projected to rise from ₹64,000 crore in FY25 to nearly ₹2 trillion by FY28. The sector grew at a compound annual growth rate of 142 per cent between FY22 and FY25.

 

The qcom space has received total funding of $8.27 billion since 2011, according to data from market intelligence platform Tracxn.

 

The sector has also seen successive funding rounds from investors such as Tiger Global, Accel, Prosus, Tencent and Y Combinator. Zepto, for instance, raised $665 million in June, $340 million in August and $350 million in November last year. In October this year, it announced the closure of a nearly $450 million funding round at a $7 billion valuation. Swiggy Instamart recently raised ₹10,000 crore through a qualified institutional placement, while Eternal, the parent of Blinkit, infused ₹600 crore into the company.

 

Various gig workers’ unions, which staged nationwide protests on December 25 and New Year’s Eve, have welcomed the government’s intervention.

 

The Gig & Platform Service Workers Union said it was an important step towards ensuring the safety, health and dignity of gig and platform workers. The union had earlier written to the labour minister and filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission on January 12.

 

The Gig Workers Association said pressure related to timelines is embedded in app design. “While platforms claim there is no visible timer, constant changes in incentives, ratings, and order allocation force workers to rush. Fear of losing future work or incentives keeps workers logged in for long hours and pushes them to take risks on the road,” the union said in a statement.

 

Shaik Salauddin, founder-president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union and national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, thanked the minister for listening to workers’ voices and intervening decisively in the interest of their safety. “The 10-minute delivery model forced delivery partners into dangerous road behaviour, extreme stress, and unsafe working conditions,” he said.