Quick commerce brands built their identity on speed. The ‘10-minute delivery’ tagline was the category’s calling card, shaping advertising, consumer perception, and competitive positioning. Now, that identity is under pressure.
Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya has reportedly urged leading platforms—Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy, and Zomato—to remove 10-minute delivery claims from their marketing campaigns, citing growing safety concerns. The move follows a December strike by delivery workers across multiple cities, which spotlighted the risks and labour practices tied to ultra-fast delivery models.
Blinkit has already moved away from its “10-minute delivery” promise, updating its tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep”. Industry sources indicate that other players, including Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, are likely to follow suit in the coming days.
Investor attention has tracked the shift. On January 13, Eternal Ltd (parent of Zomato/Blinkit) and Swiggy shares edged higher after news of branding changes, signalling that markets see the messaging pivot as optics rather than an operational overhaul.
Also Read: Drop 10-minute delivery promise: Govt tells quick-commerce platforms
Like Blinkit did by updating its tagline, is there a need to reposition themselves? Rajwani thinks not. “They can continue to own and champion convenience, they just have to stop timing it.” Blinkit’s pivot—from time to assortment size—shows a shift from speed first to value first propositions like breadth, reliability, and trust.
Platforms emphasise that deliveries can still be quick where dark store proximity allows. In fact, along with the estimated delivery time, the application also shows the distance to the dark store that will make the delivery.
This framing also aligns with the government’s position: Aggressive time based messaging creates implicit pressure, regardless of whether rider apps show countdown timers.
This transition also opens up a branding opportunity: Platforms can lean into responsible delivery and worker safety as differentiators. In a market where regulatory scrutiny and labour strikes have put ultra-fast delivery under the spotlight, brands that position themselves as ethical and sustainable could gain consumer goodwill.
Government statements and company filings stress that there is no ban on fast delivery; the change is about messaging and worker safety.
However, these platforms cannot afford complacency. Karan Taurani, executive vice president, Elara Capital, says, “Maintaining superior delivery times is critical to defending their market share versus traditional ecommerce.” The “10-minute delivery” tagline played a significant role in post-COVID channel discovery.
However, adds Taurani, “metro markets (which contribute the bulk of quick commerce GMV) now exhibit high awareness and habitual usage, limiting any downside risk.
Further, quick commerce is also moving away from pure grocery/FMCG offering towards other emerging categories (accessories, BPC, selective apparels, general merchandise, toys, small household appliances).”
But the heightened regulatory and public scrutiny is likely to accelerate investments in backend efficiency, routing algorithms, and store operations—benefiting scaled, well-capitalised players.
First Published: Jan 14, 2026, 16:10
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