FMCG cos offloading near-expiry products via q-comm and e-commerce platforms: AICPDF

New Delhi: The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) has claimed that FMCG companies are using quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms to offload products that are near their expiry dates, impacting both consumer safety and traditional retail.

According to the AICPDF, this strategy not only provides FMCG companies with a convenient way to clear out inventory that would otherwise be a financial liability but also creates an unfair market environment. 

The AICPDF has called upon the government to intervene by implementing stricter regulations on how products are labelled and sold on e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms. They emphasise the need for transparency regarding product expiry dates to ensure consumers are making informed purchases. 

"Manufacturing companies are flooding the market with products that are close to their expiration dates. This practice, often masked by steep discounts, poses a serious threat to both consumer rights and the stability of the traditional retail market," AICPDF said in a statement. 

This practice, they argue, not only poses health risks due to the potential consumption of near-expiry goods but also undermines the viability of small and medium-sized retailers who cannot compete with such discounted sales.

The ongoing appeal stems from a complaint filed by AICPDF with the Competition Commission of India, alleging that quick commerce companies Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto are engaging in predatory pricing. In response, the government has sent notices to nine e-commerce and quick commerce firms, including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and JioMart.