Gig worker safety row: Blinkit drops โ€˜10-minuteโ€™ delivery claim after labour ministry flags concerns; Zepto, Swiggy may follow
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Gig worker safety row: Blinkit drops โ€˜10-minuteโ€™ delivery claim after labour ministry flags concerns; Zepto, Swiggy may follow

Eternal-owned quick commerce platform Blinkit has removed its long-promoted โ€œ10-minute deliveryโ€ claim from all platforms, amid growing concerns over the safety and welfare of delivery workers.According to news agency PTI, the company has revised its tagline from โ€œ10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutesโ€ to โ€œ30,000+ products delivered at your doorstepโ€, signalling a shift away from time-bound delivery branding.

โ€˜Remove 10-Minute Delivery Optionโ€™: Gig Workers Launch Nationwide Strike On New Yearโ€™s Eve

The move comes after discussions between quick commerce firms and the Union ministry of labour, which raised concerns about the pressure such tight delivery timelines could place on gig workers.The labour ministry engaged with platforms to push for safer working conditions, better security and improved welfare measures for delivery partners. Aas per PTI, other players such as Swiggy and Zepto may also follow Blinkitโ€™s lead in dropping similar delivery-time commitments.The issue had gained prominence after gig workers staged a nationwide strike on New Yearโ€™s Eve in 2025, protesting the 10-minute delivery model. The strike highlighted concerns related to ridersโ€™ health, road safety and income, and was backed by worker unions seeking the removal of ultra-fast delivery promises.While Blinkit has removed the claim across its branding, the โ€œ10-minute deliveryโ€ promise was still visible on app stores for platforms such as Zepto, Instamart and BigBasket.Eternal Group CEO Deepinder Goyal, however, has maintained that the 10-minute promise does not push riders into unsafe behaviour. Earlier, in a post on X, he said delivery partners are not shown customer-facing time commitments on their apps. โ€œThere is no โ€˜10-minute timerโ€™ or countdown in the delivery app,โ€ Goyal said, adding that faster deliveries are achieved mainly because stores are located closer to customers, not because riders are expected to speed.The government intervention followed meetings led by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya, after which companies agreed to remove delivery-time assurances from advertisements and social media, with the stated aim of improving gig worker safety and working conditions.

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