Swiggy Instamart has received nine notices from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) after the food regulator took suo motu action based on several consumer complaints. The notices relate to the alleged delivery of expired, spoiled, contaminated and unsafe food products through the quick-commerce platform.
FSSAI has asked Swiggy Instamart to explain the reported violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006. The company has also been asked to submit a detailed compliance report. If the response is found unsatisfactory, the regulator may take legal action.
The move is part of a larger nationwide drive by FSSAI to improve food safety standards across online grocery and quick-commerce platforms.
FSSAI Points Out Several Food Safety Issues
The notices mention different complaints received from customers. One of the most serious cases involved an infant food product that was allegedly delivered in poor condition. According to the complaint, the product showed signs of contamination and improper storage. The customer also claimed that after returning the item, the same unsafe product was sent again.
Another complaint was about Akshayakalpa Organic Eggs. Customers said they received rotten eggs with a bad smell. FSSAI found visible signs of contamination and said the eggs were not fit for consumption. The regulator also noted that no proper action was taken after the complaint was raised.
The notices also mention expired products, including Healthify 100% Whey Protein 1 kg and Noice Homestyle Madras Mixture with Peanuts. In another case, a customer received “Kakke da Paratha” that smelled foul and appeared spoiled.
Apart from these complaints, FSSAI also found licensing-related issues. It said NOICE Eggs were being sold under a product category that was not covered under the company’s existing FSSAI licence. The regulator has directed the food business operator to stop selling the product until the licence is updated.
Other complaints included contaminated milk, damaged packaged food products and food items that were not stored or handled properly.
Swiggy Asked to Submit Compliance Report
FSSAI also raised concerns about Swiggy Instamart’s overall food safety system. It found that some products displayed incorrect, invalid or missing FSSAI licence numbers. In some cases, food businesses were operating under names that did not match their official FSSAI registrations.
The regulator also criticised the company’s customer complaint process. According to FSSAI, several complaints were either ignored or resolved only by giving refunds, without fixing the food safety problems or taking steps to stop them from happening again.
Swiggy Instamart has now been asked to submit a detailed report explaining its quality checks, food safety monitoring, inventory management, stock rotation, hygiene standards and storage practices. The company must also provide a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and a Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) report explaining why the issues happened and what steps have been taken to prevent them in the future.
In response, a Swiggy Instamart spokesperson said the company is reviewing the listings flagged by FSSAI and is working with the authorities to resolve the matter.
Swiggy CEO Sriharsha Majety also said that the company’s technology systems are designed to ensure products with low remaining shelf life are not delivered to customers. Swiggy further clarified that the recent action against its budget platform Toing was related only to an administrative licence update and not to any food safety issue.
FSSAI Tightens Rules for Quick-Commerce Companies
The notices to Swiggy Instamart are part of a wider crackdown on online food delivery and quick-commerce companies across India. Recently, FSSAI CEO G. Kamala Vardhana Rao held a meeting with executives from more than 70 companies and reminded them to follow food safety rules strictly.
The regulator has directed all platforms to make sure that food products delivered to customers have at least 30% of their shelf life remaining or at least 45 days before their expiry date. FSSAI said it has received more than 10,000 complaints about platforms not clearly showing manufacturing and expiry dates.
The authority has also made it compulsory for companies to register all warehouses and dark stores on the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal and keep valid FSSAI licences for every facility. Food handlers must complete FoSTaC training, delivery workers should undergo medical check-ups, and food and non-food items must be transported separately to avoid contamination. Platforms must also display valid FSSAI licence numbers on invoices and receipts and ensure that product claims match the information printed on the product labels.
The latest action follows inspections by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, where officials found expired food items, fungal growth, poor cold storage conditions and licensing violations at some quick-commerce dark stores.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, quick-commerce platforms are treated as Food Business Operators and can be held responsible for selling unsafe food. Companies found violating the law may face imprisonment and heavy fines. The latest action shows that FSSAI is increasing its focus on food safety and making sure online grocery platforms follow the rules to protect consumers.