Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart under govt lens to monitor GST cut impact on prices

New Delhi: The central government is leveraging real-time data from quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Swiggy’s Instamart, Zepto, BigBasket, and Flipkart Minutes to monitor whether businesses are passing on the recent goods and services tax (GST) rate cuts to consumers, according to Moneycontrol report.

Officials from the commerce ministry and the department of consumer affairs have reportedly asked quick commerce platforms to show consumers how much they are saving due to the GST reductions. The move is intended to make the effect of the tax cuts visible in real time, so shoppers can immediately see lower prices while making purchases.

According to Moneycontrol, while around 90% of the reductions have already been reflected in retail prices, minor issues remain in the remaining 10%, which authorities are working to address.

These rapid delivery services, which include Amazon Now in addition to Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, BigBasket, and Flipkart Minutes, have become increasingly central to consumer habits. The sector has expanded rapidly, growing from a near-zero market in 2020 to a $7.5 billion industry in 2025, processing over a billion orders in a single year.

The report highlighted that monitoring prices through quick commerce is effective because these platforms act as aggregators, making it easier to track multiple brands simultaneously.

The top three platforms, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto, deliver more than 4.5 million orders daily, providing a substantial indicator of how GST benefits are being passed on.

Several ministries are reportedly employing various measures to ensure that lower indirect taxes translate into consumer savings. According to Moneycontrol, consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare noted that her department had received over 3,000 complaints of businesses failing to transfer the GST benefits to consumers.

The government sees ensuring the flow of these benefits as critical to boosting consumption, particularly during the festive season.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said last month that the GST reductions, which cover more than 375 essential goods and services, are expected to inject around Rs 2 lakh crore into the economy.