No more 10-minute delivery? Centre asks Q-comm platforms to drop the promise

The Centre has asked leading quick commerce and food delivery platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, to stop mandating and promoting 10-minute delivery timelines. The move follows discussions held with the Union Labour Ministry, amid growing concerns over the impact of aggressive delivery targets on gig workers.

Blinkit has also already changed its marketing from India's 10-min delivery to India's last-min delivery app.

As per media reports, major platforms such as Zepto and Swiggy Instamart have also agreed that the “10-minute delivery” claim should be removed from their advertisements, branding and marketing communication. This signals a broader willingness by platforms to recalibrate how delivery expectations are set for consumers.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya discussed issues related to strict delivery time targets and their effect on delivery personnel with representatives of food and grocery delivery apps. The decision to move away from rigid timelines is being seen as a step towards easing the pressure on last-mile delivery partners.

The 10-minute delivery model, which promised ultra-fast delivery of groceries, food and essentials, became a defining feature of India’s quick commerce boom over the past few years. Built on a dense network of dark stores and rapid fulfilment systems, the model gained rapid traction across metropolitan markets.

However, the promise of ultra-fast delivery has increasingly come under scrutiny, with delivery workers and labour groups raising concerns around safety and work-related stress. These concerns were highlighted during a nationwide gig workers’ strike on New Year’s Eve, where tens of thousands of workers demanded better pay, social security benefits and a rethinking of speed-driven delivery expectations. Many workers have argued that rigid timelines push them towards unsafe driving practices and create excessive operational pressure.

The issue has also been raised in Parliament by AAP MP Raghav Chadha, who flagged the impact of strict delivery targets on the safety and working conditions of gig workers. Chadha pointed out that time-bound delivery promises can significantly increase accident risks and called for stronger regulatory safeguards to ensure worker welfare is not compromised in the race for speed.

link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTZiYVNEv4w/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Recently, Chadha also wore a Blinkit delivery partner jacket and undertook deliveries himself to demonstrate the pressures faced by gig workers on the ground. Following these developments, Blinkit has already stopped promoting 10-minute delivery, marking a visible shift in how quick commerce platforms position speed as a service differentiator.