Maharashtra FDA Suspends Licences of 14 Dark Stores Of Blinkit, Zepto & Instamart

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 14 food business establishments linked to quick commerce platforms Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart. According to news agency PTI, the suspension occurred after a state-wide inspection revealed several food safety and hygiene violations at multiple dark stores.

A total of 86 dark stores were inspected by the Maharashtra FDA. Five establishments from Blinkit and Zepto, and two from Instamart had their licences suspended. The regulator also issued 60 improvement notices and halted operations at one facility temporarily. This action follows a crackdown on quick commerce platforms and eateries across Maharashtra, which is increasingly scrutinizing these entities.

Earlier in the week, a Blinkit facility in Mumbai's Malad West was suspended due to a major cockroach infestation and other food-safety violations. Karnataka's Food Safety and Drug Administration Department also sealed a major Zepto warehouse in Bengaluru's Hoskote, citing unhygienic conditions and food safety issues. This is not the first time these platforms have faced scrutiny; Maharashtra had raided Zepto and Blinkit's dark stores last year, while Telangana officials raided a Blinkit warehouse in 2024.

The government informed Parliament that over 5.1 lakh complaints were registered against e-commerce and quick commerce platforms on the National Consumer Helpline in 2025, with 5,774 complaints against Zepto and 5,102 against Blinkit. The rapid expansion of dark store networks by these quick commerce giants, such as Blinkit operating 2,443 active stores across 300 cities and Instamart with 1,171 dark stores across 131 cities, underscores the ongoing regulatory challenges.