Let us accept it, quick-commerce grocery delivery services have made city life easier. Gone are the days when you had to plan everything in advance and refill your pantry to survive through the week and months. Today, at a single click, things are being delievered at your door steps in just 10 minutes. But, what is the dark side to it? Well, expired packes, rotten food, large amount of adulteration and more. While these services have made life easier, they have also brought in a lot of concerns which consumers have been highlighting. Keeping the seriouness of the matter in view, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently issued nine notices to Swiggy Instamart, a popular quick-commerce grocery delivery service. These notices were issues following multiple consumer complaints alleging the delivery of expired, spoiled, contaminated and unsafe food products through the quick-commerce platform. The regulator said the complaints point to alleged violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the sale of expired food items, improper storage and handling, misleading licensing information, and inadequate consumer grievance redressal. Scroll down to read the key observations and its legal implications.
FSSAI’s key observations
Among the key allegations, consumers reportedly received expired, rotten and contaminated food products through Swiggy Instamart.FSSAI also noted that NOICE Eggs were allegedly marketed under a brand category not covered by the existing FSSAI licence. The regulator directed the food business operator (FBO) not to market the product unless it is covered under a valid licence and to seek licence modification, if required.The notices also cite complaints that Healthify 100% Whey Protein (1 kg) and Noice Homestyle Madras Mixture with Peanuts were supplied after their expiry dates.According to the notice, Akshayakalpa Organic Eggs were allegedly delivered in an expired and rotten condition, emitting a foul odour and showing visible signs of contamination. The complaint further claimed that no corrective action was taken despite repeated escalation.
Kakke da Paratha was reportedly found spoiled, emitting a foul odou and rendering it unfit for human consumption. No corrective action taken by FBO despite complaint being escalated.FSSAI also highlighted a complaint involving an infant food formulation that was allegedly delivered in a highly deteriorated and unsafe condition, showing signs of contamination and improper storage. According to the regulator, the same product was reportedly supplied again even after the defective item had been returned.
Additional complaints involved contaminated eggs and milk, along with damaged packaged food products delivered through the platform.The food regulator’s notices also raised concerns over incorrect, invalid or non-existent FSSAI licence numbers and food business entities allegedly operating under names different from those registered with FSSAI.Some complaints alleged that no satisfactory response, grievance redressal or corrective action was taken despite the complaints being forwarded or escalated while one complaint stated that only a refund was offered without addressing the reported food safety concerns.
The notices raised concerns regarding seller onboarding, compliance verification, tracebility, food quality monitoring, consumer grievance redressal, supervision of food business activities and the adequacy of food safety compliance systems.
FSSAI seeks explaantion and warns of legal action
FSSAI has directed the concerned food business operator to submit a detailed explanation, along with documentary evidence, addressing the alleged violations.They have been asked to submit details of quality, assurance, food safey monitoring, inventory management, stock rotation, hygiene, storage, handling practices and internal controls adopted to ensure food safety compliance.Provide details of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), root cause analysis, consumer grievance redressal, and measured implemented to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.Also, FSSAI has asked them to furnish the required explanation/compliance report within the stipulated period (as directed) failing which appropriate action under the FSS Act, 2006 may be initiated.
