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Quick Commerce Rider Safety: A big change has been seen in India’s quick-commerce industry recently. Major companies like Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart have removed the “delivery in 10 minutes” claim from their marketing. Blinkit now has the tagline “30,000+ products at your doorstep,” while Zepto has increased delivery times to 16 minutes or more.

Why did the government take this step?

The government took this step mainly to ensure the safety and better working conditions of the riders. The pressure of long 10 minute delivery times forced riders to deliver goods at high speed. This increased the risk of road accidents and affected the health of the riders.

The strikes by gig workers and the demands raised by unions made it clear that the 10-minute delivery model left riders with insecure incomes and constant stress. Therefore, the government instructed companies not to give messages with strict deadlines in branding, so as to reduce the pressure on riders and maintain a safe working environment.

Gig workers strike and pressure

Gig workers strike on December 25 and 31, 2025. In these strikes, riders demanded the end of the 10-minute delivery model, increased safety coverage and removal of income insecurity. The movement attracted media and public attention and forced the government to intervene.

What changes did the companies make?

10 minute delivery claim removed.

Companies are now showing the distance to the dark store, not the timer, in the app. Dark stores are small warehouses built just for online orders. Goods like groceries, daily use products and snacks are stored here. Common customer cannot come here directly, but it is important for fast delivery. Due to its proximity to the city, companies are able to deliver orders in 10–30 minutes. This lets customers know that due to short distances, deliveries are quick and there is no pressure on riders.

Blinkit and Zepto are now showing that shorter distances make delivery faster.

There was no impact on business speed or delivery efficiency.

The world tried, the model stuck in India

10 minute delivery was tried not only in India but in many countries of the world. Companies like Turkey’s Getir, Germany’s Gorillas, Britain’s Zap and Deja, America’s GoPuff and Latin America’s Rappi Turbo experimented with this model. It was successful in some places, but many places were closed due to huge expenses and low profits. Due to India’s dense population, low labor costs, large gig rider network and the scale of dark stores, this model stuck and India has now become the global quick-commerce leader.

Customer satisfaction and business impact

About 74% consumers supported the government’s move.

Only 17% people opposed it.

Experts believe that the change in branding will not affect profits. Fast delivery will still remain the hallmark of companies.

Balance of fast delivery and security

Quick-commerce in India is now moving away from the hype of 10 minute delivery, towards safe and sustainable fast delivery. By only showing the distance to the nearest dark store in the app, companies are giving customers a quicker delivery experience and ensuring the safety of riders. This change is not only important for the safety and working conditions of gig workers, but also establishes India’s quick-commerce model as a responsible and sustainable business model.