Forget "10-minute delivery"—Zepto customers are now demanding "safe delivery." The ultra-fast grocery app is facing a massive wave of criticism and official action following a series of damning incidents exposing serious flaws in its food safety and quality control, culminating in a stomach-churning viral video and the suspension of a key warehouse license.
The Trigger: A Video That Turned Stomachs
The latest firestorm ignited when a customer took to Instagram to share a horrifying experience. Her video documented
The Black Egg: Peling an egg that tasted "off," only to find it oozing black liquid.
The Worm-Infested Watermelon: Cutting into a watermelon to discover it was teeming with white worms.
Accompanying the visuals was a furious caption: “Zepto, how is this acceptable? Every single time, you either send raw fruits or rotten ones... Stop scamming people. Issuing a refund isn’t enough... we end up paying more because of you.” She added a stark warning in floating text: “Stop ordering fruits and eggs from Zepto.”
Zepto's Damage Control: Too Little, Too Late?
Zepto responded quickly on social media, stating, “We understand your concern... we take quality seriously... Please DM us your order details so we can address this promptly at Zepto speed.”
But this boilerplate "we'll fix it" response rang hollow for many. Why? Because it wasn't an isolated incident.
A Flood of Furious Customers
The viral video unleashed a torrent of similar complaints:
The Naptol Jab: One user mentioned, “Zepto is literally the Naptol of e-commerce,” referencing the infamous low-quality online retailer.
Competitor Contrast: Another shared, “Big Basket and Blinkit have always worked great for me... but with Zepto, I did face issues twice.” They warned of potential mass customer loss if sourcing and QC aren't fixed.
The "Fresh" Bread Fiasco: A customer recounted receiving bread expiring the same day, only to be told by customer care it was "still safe to eat." Their retort? “Fresh means days to go, not hours left... Sending me something that’s on its final day isn’t service, it’s just low-key dumping old stock.”
Ethical Sourcing Questioned: One comment questioned the very model: “Why buy such things online when freshly available in the market? At least... local shops or roadside [vendors] get some wage for their hard work.”
The Regulatory Hammer Falls
This social media uproar didn't happen in a vacuum. It comes just days after serious regulatory action:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Maharashtra inspected Zepto's Dharavi warehouse.
Officials found serious violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Result? The food business license for the Dharavi warehouse was SUSPENDED.
Notices were also issued to Zepto facilities in Bhiwandi and Bandra East for similar issues.
Adding to the crisis, the Borivali centre's license was also suspended due to poor food safety conditions.
The Big Picture: Trust Eroding at "Zepto Speed"
This isn't just about one bad egg or one wormy watermelon. It's about a systemic failure:
Failed Quality Checks: The customer's sarcastic comment about Zepto claiming items "passed quality check" hits hard. The evidence suggests QC is either non-existent or catastrophically inadequate.
Warehouse Woes: The FDA suspensions confirm appalling storage conditions at multiple locations, directly contradicting the promise of fresh, safe food.
Empty Refund Policy: Customers are explicitly stating that refunds are meaningless without fundamental changes to sourcing and handling. A refund doesn't compensate for the health risk or the disgust factor.
Speed vs. Safety: The core promise of ultra-fast delivery is now under scrutiny. Is the relentless focus on speed compromising essential safety and quality procedures?
Zepto responds on licence suspensions
Zepto informed that it has received the order revoking the suspension order for its Dharavi store. The Hon'ble Food Safety Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, granted this revocation following a thorough re-inspection and submission of a compliance report demonstrating that the necessary corrective actions had been taken. Zepto's Dharavi shop has resumed operations.
Disclaimer: This information has been provided by a third party. India TV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made.
ALSO READ: IAS couple find caterpillar in vegetable salad at Michelin chef's restaurant in Gurgaon | WATCH