Zomato announces zero-tolerance policy on sale of analogue dairy dishes

In response to concerns over analogue paneer, Zomato has implemented a strict zero-tolerance policy prohibiting the sale of dishes containing analogue dairy products on its platform. Restaurant partners who fail to comply with this new regulation will face delisting. The company immediately removed dishes previously declared to contain analogue dairy from its platform, requiring restaurants to either switch to natural dairy products or remove items with analogue products from their menus if a swift transition is not possible.

Restaurants are also urged to carefully review ingredient labels and supplier declarations to ensure food items are accurately represented on Zomato.

Zomato CEO Aditya Mangla emphasized that the company's mission is to provide better food for more people, and safeguarding customer health is a top priority. This policy is part of Zomato's broader effort to promote healthier food choices and enhance transparency around the products listed on its platform. The company cites the growing scrutiny over food quality, ingredient disclosure, and claim accuracy faced by food delivery platforms as a key driver behind this decision.

This move comes amid increasing regulatory focus on food quality, hygiene, and transparency as online platforms become a prominent channel for consumers to purchase food and grocery products. Recently, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the licenses of 14 food establishments associated with Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart following a state-wide inspection that uncovered safety and hygiene violations. The regulator inspected 86 dark stores and issued 60 improvement notices.