Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya has reportedly stepped in to address growing safety concerns around 10-minute deliveries in India’s quick-commerce sector. News reports suggest that Mandaviya recently held discussions with leading platforms, such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy, and Zomato, and urged them to remove 10-minute delivery claims from their marketing campaigns. Following the announcement, shares of Eternal Ltd on January 13 were up 3.26 percent at Rs 294.55 at around 3.09 pm, while Swiggy’s stock edged up 0.1 percent to Rs 349.90.
The move comes after delivery workers across platforms organised a strike in December by refusing to work on high-demand days such Christmas and New Year’s Eve across multiple cities. The strike highlighted concerns about labour practices, gig workers’ earnings, and social and health coverage, especially in the context of 10-minute deliveries, which have come under scrutiny and criticism in the recent past.
Mandaviya highlighted that such time-bound promises put undue pressure on delivery partners, compelling them to rush through traffic and increasing the risk of accidents. “Worker safety cannot be compromised for speed,” the minister reportedly told company representatives, emphasising the need for a more responsible approach to customer convenience.
Blinkit has reportedly already dropped its “10-minute delivery” tagline, rewording its brand positioning from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep”. Other players, including Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and Zomato, are expected to follow suit in the coming days.
Quick-commerce has become one of India’s fastest-growing segments. The promise of ultra-fast deliveries was a key differentiator in the sector’s early growth phase. However, critics have long argued that such deadlines create unsafe working conditions for gig workers who often navigate congested roads under pressure to meet delivery targets.
“‘Ultra-fast’ is the real problem. We must not make unrealistic and unwanted promises and then push an entire work system to hustle relentlessly,” says Chandrasekhar Sripada, clinical professor (OB), Indian School of Business. “Yes, an ambulance or emergency health care should ideally reach in 10 minutes, but not ice cream or a beauty product.”
The government’s intervention signals a shift toward prioritising worker welfare in the gig economy, a sector that is expanding rapidly. According to Niti Aayog, India’s gig workforce is projected to reach 2.35 crore by 2030, with 20 lakh new workers expected to join in 2026.
Dropping “10-minute delivery” claims is a signalling step, but it doesn’t touch the operational levers—incentive designs, batch targets, punitive ratings, and arbitrary ID blocks—that push delivery people to rush.
In a demand charter to the Centre, the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) urged discontinuation of 10–20-minute deliveries to prioritise safety, and called for structural protections: A minimum per km rate of Rs 20 across Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Flipkart, and BigBasket; workplace safety and emergency leave, comprehensive maternity protection for women workers; an end to arbitrary ID blocking and punitive rating systems; and a guaranteed minimum monthly earning of Rs 40,000. Without reforms on these fronts, the pressure to deliver within tight deadlines could persist even if the wording of marketing and advertising champaigns changes.
A recent Forbes India survey asked consumers if they truly need 10-minute deliveries: 58 percent said such deliveries were “nice to have, but not essential,” while 75 percent said they would not change their order frequency if deliveries took 20–30 minutes instead of 10. This suggests that the industry’s obsession with speed may have little to do with what consumers want.
Experts believe the real test lies in operational practices. Incentive structures and internal targets often continue to push riders to deliver faster, even without advertised delivery time commitments. Industry watchers will be keen to see whether companies introduce broader reforms, such as flexible timelines, better insurance coverage, and improved rider training. But the messaging shift reflects a growing awareness that convenience should not come at the cost of human safety.
First Published: Jan 13, 2026, 17:13
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