Overview

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has scheduled a meeting with quick-commerce (qcom) platforms, including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto, on Tuesday to address concerns about violations of food safety regulations, according to sources familiar with the matter. This meeting comes at a time when issues related to breaches of food safety standards by qcom platforms have raised alarms, specifically regarding expiry and best-before dates on packaged food items.

Concerns Over Expired Products and Short Shelf Life in Qcom Deliveries

An industry source stated that some platforms are failing to ensure products meet the required minimum shelf life. Last week, FSSAI convened a meeting of its Central Advisory Committee (CAC) to discuss food safety concerns tied to e-commerce platforms. The committee instructed state authorities to increase monitoring of the warehouses and facilities used by these platforms.

LocalCircles Urges FSSAI Investigation into Online Platform Violations

In October, the independent community platform LocalCircles sent a letter to FSSAI requesting an investigation into the violations of the Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations 2020 by certain online platforms. The letter highlighted that these platforms had listed and supplied products with less than 30 per cent of their shelf life remaining. “Over the past year, LocalCircles has received numerous consumer complaints about online platforms delivering products with short shelf lives,” the letter stated. “For example, a loaf of bread that typically lasts 5-7 days arrived with just one day remaining.”

Survey Finds Majority of Online Platforms Fail to Display Best-Before Dates

In a related survey of over 12,000 participants across India, 57 per cent of consumers reported that most online platforms do not display the best-before dates for packaged products. “We have communicated this issue to the Secretary of Consumer Affairs and learned that the Department of Legal Metrology is reviewing these violations,” the letter added. LocalCircles urged FSSAI to investigate breaches of the Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations 2020 by online platforms. It called for products with less than 30 per cent of their shelf life or fewer than 45 days remaining to be excluded from sale and delivery.

Meanwhile, the All-India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) has raised additional concerns with ministries about challenges it faces with qcom companies. AICPDF sent two letters last month—one to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and another to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways—requesting an investigation into the use of private vehicles by qcom and e-commerce platforms for business activities. It also urged these platforms to adhere to food safety standards during deliveries.

FSSAI Instructs States to Strengthen Monitoring of E-commerce Platforms

FSSAI has already instructed states to enhance their monitoring of warehouses and facilities linked to e-commerce platforms. Last month, a community platform contacted FSSAI about violations by online platforms allegedly supplying items close to their expiration dates. Sources indicate that companies are failing to uphold the minimum shelf life of their products.