Blinkit Removes ‘10-Minute Delivery’ Claim As Centre Steps In; Zomato, Swiggy To Follow
The biggest shift is in messaging: customers may still get orders quickly, but platforms will stop marketing speed as a fixed, non-negotiable promise.
- Gig workers' safety concerns drove the government's action.
Blinkit has removed its ‘10-minute delivery’ claim from all brand platforms following a strict intervention by India’s Labour and Employment Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya. The move comes amid mounting concerns that ultra-fast delivery timelines put gig workers under unsafe pressure on the roads. After a high-level meeting with quick commerce giants including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato, the government urged companies to stop advertising rigid delivery time commitments. Blinkit has already implemented the change, while rival platforms have assured the Centre they will soon follow suit across advertisements, social media and other public-facing channels.
Govt Issues Advisory
According to officials, Minister Mandaviya advised companies to drop strict delivery limits to ensure delivery partners are not forced into risky driving to meet unrealistic targets. The government’s warning was clear: speed should not come at the cost of safety.
In the meeting, all companies reportedly agreed to revise branding and marketing strategies that push fixed-time delivery promises. While the platforms will continue offering rapid service, they will avoid language suggesting an absolute guarantee of delivering within a set number of minutes.
Worker Unions Raised Safety Alarm
The decision follows weeks of protests by gig worker unions, who have repeatedly criticised the 10-20 minute ultra-fast delivery model. They argued that such commitments encourage speeding and increase the likelihood of accidents.
Unions also carried out a strike on New Year’s Eve ( December 31, 2025), one of the busiest shopping nights of the year, and submitted a memorandum to the Labour Minister highlighting hazardous working conditions and high delivery pressure.
The government appears to have taken these concerns seriously, initiating direct discussions with the companies rather than treating the issue as merely a labour dispute.
What Changes Now
The biggest shift is in messaging: customers may still get orders quickly, but platforms will stop marketing speed as a fixed, non-negotiable promise. The emphasis is expected to move towards safer deliveries without excessive time-based stress on riders.
The ‘quick delivery’ model gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand surged for essentials delivered at short notice. What began as 30-minute delivery soon escalated into 10-minute claims, but the growing debate suggests the industry may now be entering a more safety-first phase.
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