Union Labour Ministry Steps In: Quick Commerce Platforms Drop 10-Minute Delivery to Improve Worker Safety

January 14, 2026by Primelegal Team

Introduction

The rapid rise of quick commerce platforms has transformed the way urban consumers shop for their everyday essentials. Quick commerce like Blinkit, zepto , swiggy instatmart and flipkart minutes Became by promising deliveries in just 10 minutes This was very impressive for the consumers but on the other side it created a serious pressure on delivery workers and raised the concern regarding this safety because they might have to do a lot of rash driving many a times just to deliver it on time and the pressure they get from their higher authority is something one can’t assume Because of this union labor employment ministry stepped and asked these platforms to remove 10 minutes delivery claim from their branding. This change shows a shift in focus from extreme speed to the safety and well-being of workers.

History

Quick commerce platform changed the way in the city’s shops by a promise to deliver groceries of daily items in 10 minutes. This promise helped these companies to grow fast and compete with each other and it was a very good satisfaction for the customer also but as a coin has two sides this also had the other side which soon became a controversial Which was about labor groups delivery workers the union government officials and safety experts began pointing out that such tight delivery target put extreme pressure on delivery riders. Many workers were forced to ride fast skip breaks and take risks on the roads which lead to the frequent safety issues and growing concern for their wellbeing.

Situation became more serious after delivery workers across the country went on strike in late December 2025 and their demands were quite simple and actually right because they only demanded for safe working condition better pay and removal of these unrealistic delivery deadlines which was pushed to protect their life and that was the reason only which this issue came up in the spotlight.

Keynotes

1 The Labor Ministry of India stepped in and asked the quick commerce companies to stop the 10 minutes delivery slogan because it was creating a pressure on delivery workers and affecting their safety.

2 The companies agreed to this and removed the slogan of 10 minutes promise from their ads and customer messages.

3 The move was not mainly about how these services are marketed but it was about the government’s attention to the workers safety and the growing gig workers.

4 Delivery workers and their supporters welcome the change saying that unrealistic delivery targets often force riders into dangerous situations

5 Experts say this change might not slow down delivery much because these companies still aim too fast but now without pushing workers to meet extreme time limits.

Conclusion

Their decision to remove the 10 minutes delivery promise marks an important step towards improving the working conditions of delivery partners in India’s quick commerce sector. While fast delivery remains a key feature of these platforms, government intervention shows that workers safety and dignity can’t be ignored in the race for speed and profit and this change reflects a more balanced approach to growth where convenience for customers is being aligned with the responsibility towards the people who make this service possible.

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WRITTEN BY: NISHTHA JAIN