Crusading India state food safety chief targets Eternal, Swiggy, Zepto in sweeping crackdown

MUMBAI, Aug 15 - Maharashtra state’s food safety chief, Tukaram Mundhe, has intensified a crackdown on quick commerce food and grocery industries. His latest actions include suspending the permits of 12 warehouses belonging to Indian giants Eternal, Swiggy, and Zepto. The state’s new food safety head, Mundhe, has previously shut down some of Mumbai’s most popular eateries for poor hygiene. This current drive aims to enforce food safety standards, which have historically seen little enforcement.

Mundhe’s department conducted inspections at 86 establishments, issuing 60 improvement notices and suspending five warehouse permits of Eternal’s Blinkit, five of Zepto’s, and two of Swiggy’s Instamart. The companies involved have a significant presence in India, with Swiggy and Eternal running around 1,100 delivery outlets each, while Blinkit operates approximately 2,200 delivery outlets.

At one of Blinkit’s food storage facilities, inspectors found a cockroach infestation and rotten vegetables. Other inspections revealed rodent droppings and unhygienic conditions. Similarly, Zepto’s warehouse in Nashik had delivery staff entering storage areas in street footwear, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. Photos shared by the state FDA revealed rusted and dirty storage racks, crawling with cockroaches around food items.

Mundhe issued a stern warning, stating that they will not tolerate any disregard for public health and will take tougher action against unsafe food preparation and unhygienic food storage.