Sweeping crackdown on Eternal, Swiggy, Zepto

Mumbai: Maharashtra state's food safety chief, Tukaram Mundhe, has undertaken a comprehensive crackdown on the food and grocery industries, suspending permits of 12 warehouses belonging to Eternal, Swiggy, and Zepto due to unhygienic conditions. The intensified enforcement follows the closure of several high-profile eateries for poor hygiene. Reports of food contamination are prevalent in India's food sector, but Mundhe's stringent approach has garnered significant public and media attention.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected 86 establishments, issued 60 improvement notices, and suspended permits for five Eternal Blinkit warehouses, five Zepto warehouses, and two Swiggy Instamart facilities. The companies involved have a combined presence of around 1,100 delivery outlets and 2,200 delivery outlets in India, respectively. Photos shared by the FDA depict rusted and dirty storage racks, as well as cockroaches crawling over food items during the raids.

The $13 billion quick commerce sector, valued at over $13 billion, has attracted substantial foreign investment, with companies processing 9 million daily orders. The crackdown has brought attention to the sector's poor standards, with consumers reacting negatively on social media. Mundhe warned of harsher penalties against unsafe food preparation and unhygienic storage practices, emphasizing the government's commitment to public health.