Blinkit drops ‘10-minute delivery’ claim after Labour Ministry intervention over gig worker safety

New Delhi: Intervention by the Union Labour and Employment Ministry has prompted quick-commerce firm Blinkit to drop its '10-minute' delivery claim from all platforms, amid growing criticism and concerns over gig workers' welfare.

Government sources said other aggregators are expected to follow Blinkit's path in the coming days following Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya holding meetings with platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy to address concerns related to delivery timelines.

Eternal Group-owned Blinkit has already acted on it and removed the 10-minute delivery promise from its branding, sources said adding the move was aimed at ensuring greater safety, security and improved working conditions for gig workers.

Blinkit has updated its brand messaging from "10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes" to "30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep".

The 10-minute delivery led to gig workers holding a nationwide strike on December 31, drawing attention to workers' health, safety and income. The gig workers were claiming that the platforms were putting pressure on them to the deadline, which put them at risk.

Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) welcomed the government's intervention and said it is an important step toward ensuring the safety, health, and dignity of gig and platform workers. The GIPSWU had on December 24 last year submitted a memorandum to Mandaviya besides filing a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission on Monday.

“Time-bound targets and algorithm-driven pressures remain widespread across the gig economy, creating conditions that can closely resemble forced labour. To achieve India’s national goal of eradicating forced labour by 2030, these practices must be addressed comprehensively,” GIPSWU National Coordinator Nirmal Gorana said.

Eternal Group CEO Deepinder Goyal had recently claimed that the 10-minute delivery promise does not pressure riders or lead to unsafe driving, as they are not shown the 10-minute timer on the app.

"Firstly, delivery partners are not shown customer-facing time promises. There is no '10-minute timer' or countdown in the delivery app. 10-minute or faster deliveries are primarily due to our stores being closer to customers and not by higher speeds on the road," Goyal had claimed.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who was campaigning in favour of gig workers, said he was "deeply grateful" to the union government for its "timely, decisive and compassionate" intervention in enforcing the removal of the '10-minute delivery' branding from quick-commerce platforms.

"This is a much needed step because when '10 minutes' is printed on a rider’s tshirt/ jacket/ bag and a timer runs on the customer’s screen, the pressure is real, constant, and dangerous. This step will help ensure safety of the delivery riders, and everyone who shares our roads. Over the past months, I have spoken to hundreds of delivery partners. Many are overworked, underpaid and risking their life to fulfil an unrealistic promise," he posted on 'X'.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), headed by BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, also "strongly welcomed" the development, saying it is "timely, humane, and far-sighted", prioritising the life and safety of delivery personnel.