New Delhi | Jan 16, 2026

The Union government has successfully persuaded India’s leading quick-commerce platforms—including Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart—to abandon their aggressive 10-minute delivery branding, amid concerns over rider safety and labour conditions. While no formal ban has been issued, the platforms have removed references to “10-minute delivery” from their apps, advertisements, and marketing materials, following intervention by the Union labour ministry, led by Mansukh Mandaviya.

Why the Government Intervened

The move comes against a backdrop of growing unrest among delivery workers, who protested against unsafe working conditions, low pay, and excessive pressure to meet extremely tight delivery timelines. By late 2025, these concerns had escalated into frequent strikes and demonstrations across major cities, culminating in a nationwide gig worker strike on December 31, 2025. The protests highlighted risks including reckless driving, accidents in heavy traffic or adverse weather, and long hours without adequate social security.

Union labour officials held multiple meetings with platform operators, urging them not to “brand” rigid delivery deadlines, which indirectly pressure workers to take risks in order to meet consumer expectations. While platforms were cooperative, gig workers noted that no formal communication had yet been sent to them regarding the changes.

Quick Commerce Growth and Labour Laws

Quick-commerce services, which surged during the pandemic lockdown, have reshaped India’s retail ecosystem, offering rapid delivery of groceries and essentials from dark stores, or local warehouses, to customers’ doorsteps. According to Gauri Rajnekar of IIM Ahmedabad, consumer demand for rapid delivery has grown exponentially, making these services a critical part of urban life.

The rapid expansion of the sector has coincided with new social security rules for gig workers under labour laws implemented in November 2025. Aggregator companies are now required to contribute between 1–5% of workers’ wages to a National Social Security Fund, providing health, accident, and pension benefits to gig workers. These regulations have added compliance pressures on platforms that were previously driven primarily by speed-based marketing.

Business Rethink

Financial growth has also prompted platforms to reconsider hyper-fast delivery timelines. Blinkit, owned by Eternal, changed its tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep”. Zepto, which operates over 250 dark stores, has increased its standard delivery time to 16 minutes or more, while competitors such as Swiggy Instamart are expected to follow suit.

Quick-commerce revenues have surged despite the slowdown in hyper-fast delivery marketing. Eternal reported revenues of ₹7,100 crore in 2025, up from ₹4,200 crore a year earlier, reflecting the sector’s continued growth.

While companies like Zomato, Eternal, and Zepto declined to comment officially, analysts suggest that the shift away from 10-minute delivery branding reduces pressure on riders and supports compliance with labour regulations, while maintaining strong consumer service levels.

This development marks a significant recalibration in India’s booming quick-commerce industry, balancing business growth, consumer expectations, and worker welfare in one of the fastest-growing segments of the digital economy.

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