Report

Once considered a rising star in India’s quick-commerce market, Zepto now faces serious scrutiny after a former employee exposed shocking food safety lapses. In a now-viral Reddit post, the ex-employee, who worked at Zepto for three years, claimed that store managers knowingly sold expired Greek yoghurt despite it being unfit for consumption.

He further revealed that every monsoon, gutter water would flood the Pune store’s packing area, forcing staff to work barefoot for long hours while packing groceries. According to him, the store regularly packed damaged fruits, rotting vegetables, and expired products without hesitation. Many employees frequently fell sick but did not receive any medical assistance or compensation.

Public Outrage and Customer Complaints

These disturbing claims have fueled public anger, with customers sharing their own bad experiences with online grocery deliveries. Many compared Zepto unfavourably to other quick-commerce apps and demanded stronger food safety checks.

FDA Raids and License Suspension

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stepped in. Earlier this month, officials raided Zepto’s Dharavi warehouse in Mumbai and discovered fungus-infested food, expired stock stored with fresh items, poor cold storage, and unhygienic surroundings. The FDA immediately suspended the warehouse’s food business license for violating safety standards. The whistleblower’s revelations and the FDA’s action have reignited debate about food safety in India’s booming quick-commerce sector — showing how poor hygiene and expired goods can slip through without strict checks and employee voices being heard

Source: News18