The phone’s notification rings at 11 PM. ‘Out of Maggi for midnight cravings?’ the notification reads. It promises: ‘Get it delivered in 7 Minutes!’ With a few taps, the order is placed. Minutes later, a deliveryman speeds through traffic with your Maggi. This once-unimaginable scenario is now common in urban homes, thanks to the rise of quick commerce.
Quick Commerce began as an ambitious promise to revolutionise convenience. It has grown into a $6–7 billion industry. Platforms like Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket BB Now have become household names. The concept is captivating—groceries, medicines, clothes, and electronics delivered faster than brewing a cup of tea. Venture capitalists have poured billions into this culture of instant gratification. Indian consumers have eagerly embraced it.
But this convenience comes at a cost. Reports say 60% of traditional grocery stores have seen a noticeable drop in sales. If trends continue, 25% of India’s kirana stores could shut down by 2025.
This disruption happens in a market valued at over $1 trillion. Groceries make up a large part of household expenses. Indians spend nearly 20% of their income on groceries.
Yet behind this fascinating idea of quick commerce is a trap of unintended consequences. As instant delivery gains popularity, controversies have started revealing the downsides of Quick Commerce across platforms. The true cost of this convenience-driven revolution extends far beyond delivery charges and handling fees.
Quick Commerce Platform Misconduct And Quality Compromises
The quick commerce industry often uses “dark patterns” like misleading interfaces, hidden fees, and unfair pricing to influence customers. The industry as a whole exhibits these actions consistently, indicating a corporate strategy that puts profit ahead of customer trust.
Critics say Swiggy Instamart charges much higher prices than traditional retail. Blinkit faces backlash for surge pricing during peak hours and festivals. BigBasket’s BB Now is criticised for unclear delivery costs and inconsistent pricing. Quick commerce often sacrifices customer transparency to maximise profit using complex algorithms.
Product quality issues across platforms worry customers more than pricing tactics. Quality control suffers because deliveries must happen within 10 to 15 minutes. Customers report receiving spoiled veggies, expired goods, broken packaging, and near-expired items.
Rapid delivery relies on the dark shop model, but quality control suffers. Warehouse staff select items quickly under pressure, unlike in traditional retail. Shoppers can’t inspect goods themselves, leading to wilted veggies and damaged packages. Dented cans and poorly stored products are common due to the rush.
The quality of fresh vegetables has been a particular source of frustration. Since perishables are stocked across multiple small facilities, items often sit longer than they would in traditional supply chains. Consumers frequently complain about damaged fruits, vegetables with shorter shelf lives, and dairy products that spoil sooner than expected. Products advertised as “fresh in 10 minutes” are often anything but fresh.
The Human Price of Quick Commerce
Across all platforms, the promise of deliveries in ten to fifteen minutes comes at a high human cost. Delivery executives at Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy, Instamart, and other companies face employment instability, excessive hours, lack of social security benefits, and extreme pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines.
According to industry-wide data, delivery workers on all platforms put in 12–14 hour stints, sometimes without breaks, to make a living wage. Workers must make more deliveries in order to raise their income under the piece-rate payment system, which feeds a vicious cycle where speed comes before safety. Delivery partners on various platforms frequently report hazardous working circumstances when employees drive carelessly to satisfy platform algorithms.
Blinkit’s delivery partners in Delhi and Mumbai have reported accidents and injuries due to time pressure, while Swiggy Instamart workers have complained about inadequate insurance coverage. The gig economy classification allows all these platforms to avoid providing traditional employment benefits, effectively transferring business risks to the most vulnerable participants in their ecosystem.
Taking down Local Business Cultures
The negative effects of quick commerce on conventional retail are felt on all platforms. According to PwC India, as rapid commerce disturbs the buying of necessities, 52% of local retailers are seeing a fall in revenues. This is the outcome of a coordinated attack on local kirana shops, which have long served as the foundation of Indian retail, rather than the strategy of a single platform.
Numerous rapid commerce platforms have been the target of accusations from the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which claims that their exclusive seller agreements, steep discounts, and predatory pricing violate the Competition Act. Blinkit’s parent firm, Zomato, Swiggy, Instamart, and others have used venture capital subsidies to maintain aggressive pricing and create an artificially skewed market that traditional shops cannot match.
Local grocery shop owners complain that platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit consistently undercut their pricing on vital commodities while providing free delivery, making it hard for conventional retailers to compete. This predatory strategy is especially detrimental in smaller communities, where local retailers are frequently the only source of employment and economic activity.
Health and Behavioural Consequences
Platforms for quick commerce have radically changed consumer behaviour in ways that go much beyond simple purchasing patterns. The promise of 10-minute delivery has influenced a generation of customers to avoid leaving their homes for essential needs. There are alarming ramifications for social connection, mental health, and physical activity from this trend toward excessive convenience.
The inherent physical activity that comes with running daily errands has decreased due to the simplicity of purchasing anything from groceries to medications. In the past, going to the local market required physical activity such as walking and climbing stairs, which added to daily exercise. Due to the elimination of these micro-activities due to quick commerce, urban dwellers are leading increasingly sedentary lives.
Social psychologists caution that these platforms’ instant gratification might be altering our relationship with labour and patience. Expecting things to happen in a matter of minutes sets up unattainable expectations for other areas of life and might make it harder to wait or work toward objectives. This “instantaneous everything” mindset may affect relationships, personal growth, and productivity.
Additionally, impromptu social encounters that used to happen during shopping excursions have decreased as a result of the platforms. Conversations with store owners, random meetings with neighbours, and the sense of community that comes with local markets are disappearing as individuals withdraw into their homes and communicate more with delivery workers and apps.
The rise of learned helplessness about basic life skills is deeply worrying. Young adults depend more on quick commerce for items they could easily get themselves. This reliance might harm their problem-solving skills and sense of independence.
Quick commerce has undeniably changed urban life, offering unmatched ease via mobile devices. But this convenience comes with complex and serious consequences. The speed-focused model undermines retail ecosystems, lowers product quality, exploits gig workers, and alters consumer behaviour.
We urgently need a responsible, human-centred recalibration of this innovation. While convenience has value, we must not sacrifice morality, community, or well-being for it. Customers and lawmakers face the challenge of balancing progress with purpose. We must ensure that in chasing speed, we don’t lose sight of what truly matters.
