India Food Regulator Proposes Stricter Quick Commerce Rules

India's Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) is looking to implement stricter regulations for e-commerce platforms, encompassing quick commerce providers and cloud kitchens, to enhance food safety and product disclosure.

The proposed rules would mandate the display of manufacturing and expiry dates, along with batch numbers, for food items listed online. E-commerce platforms would be held accountable for any misleading claims made by manufacturers. The regulator is also exploring the requirement for cloud kitchens to disclose photographs and addresses.

FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani stated that the authority has engaged in consultations with e-commerce companies and has commenced inspections of dark stores and cloud kitchens. "We are planning to amend the regulation so that consumers know the manufacturing date, expiry date and batch number of products they're ordering," Punhani said.

These regulatory changes come amidst increased scrutiny of quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart, which have faced criticism for not adequately displaying essential product information, including expiry and use-by dates.

The proposed measures are part of a broader initiative by FSSAI to address food safety and labelling violations. The authority has also issued notices to over 150 food and beverage manufacturers concerning alleged incorrect or misleading ingredient claims and other labelling infringements. Additionally, FSSAI is considering front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods.