Blinkit to end 10-minute delivery branding after Centre flags safety risks

New Delhi: Blinkit will remove references to “10-minute delivery” from its brand messaging after the Centre raised concerns over the safety of gig workers, according to a report by India Today.

The decision follows discussions held by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya with senior officials from Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato. During the meeting, the minister asked platforms to move away from fixed delivery timelines, citing road safety risks faced by delivery partners.

According to the report, companies are reassessing delivery-time commitments in their consumer-facing communication after the intervention. Blinkit has decided to discontinue the “10-minute delivery” branding across its platforms.

The companies assured the government that delivery time commitments would be removed from brand advertisements and social media messaging. The assurances come amid growing concern that aggressive timelines may be encouraging unsafe driving practices among delivery workers.

The development also follows a nationwide strike call by the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union on New Year’s Eve. The union has been seeking collective action on issues related to worker safety, welfare and employment conditions across platform-based services.

Among its key demands is the removal of 10-minute delivery options, which the union says incentivise unsafe speeds and increase accident risks. Other demands include restoration of earlier payout structures, legally mandated minimum earnings, and an end to what it describes as arbitrary ID blocking and excessive deductions.