The fastest-growing promise in India’s quick-commerce expansion was ‘10-Minute Delivery’. In just a few years, platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart turned this promise into their brand identity. It triggered a massive shift in consumer habits, led to the creation of micro-fulfillment infrastructure across cities, and became an emerging opportunity in the eyes of investors.
However, guidelines issued by the government in January 2026 have changed the direction of this entire race. Questions regarding safety, labor standards, and the welfare of riders have made the future of 10-minute delivery uncertain.
The question now arises: Was this model merely a marketing experiment in India, or a sustainable concept that truly transformed the consumer experience? Let’s take a closer look.
What’s Happening?
On January 13, 2026, as the country celebrated Lohri, India’s quick-commerce industry reached a decisive turning point. Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart began removing the ‘10-minute delivery’ promise from their apps and advertisements. This move followed the intervention of the Union Labour Ministry, which stated clearly that the speed of delivery cannot, under any circumstances, take precedence over the safety, dignity of delivery partners, and a fair digital market.
The beginning of the new year saw protests by gig workers. While consumers were celebrating, delivery partners were raising their voices against uncertain earnings, lack of social security, and the pressure of timeline-based deliveries. Within days, the government intervened and issued directives to move away from 10-minute delivery branding, signaling a major shift for the quick-commerce model.
How the 10-Minute Delivery Engine Really Worked
It is important to understand that 10-minute delivery did not rely solely on the fast motorcycles of riders. Behind it worked a complex and highly capital-intensive infrastructure. Companies like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart built hundreds of ‘dark stores’ in cities, housing an average of two to four thousand products. These dark stores were established in specific urban pockets to cover maximum consumers within a three-kilometre radius.
The entire system was designed so that the time for product picking and packing after an order arrived was less than ninety seconds. By dividing stores into micro-zones, delivery in those specific areas was made extremely fast.
On average, delivery partners had a real-time window of seven to twelve minutes. Yet, to increase consumer attraction, it was presented in marketing as ‘10 minutes’. This entire system relied on technical monitoring, location-based order algorithms, and high investment, making it clear that speed was not as easy as it appeared in advertisements.
Why Did the Government Put the Brakes on the 10-Minute Race?
Safety of Delivery Partners: Due to strict 10-minute timelines, riders faced pressure to drive fast and take risks in traffic or bad weather, leading to frequent reports of potential accidents.
Gig Worker Protests: Strikes by delivery partners on Christmas and New Year’s Day in December 2025 brought issues like unsafe working conditions, lack of health cover, and uncertain income into the national debate.
Labour Ministry Intervention: Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a meeting with quick-commerce platforms, made it clear that branding promises that indirectly create delivery time pressure should be avoided.
Habit of Fast Delivery Post-Pandemic: Quick-commerce began during the COVID-19 lockdowns when demand for instant delivery of groceries and daily essentials surged, transforming the entire retail ecosystem.
Increased Responsibility via New Labour Laws: Under new labour laws implemented in November 2025, gig platforms must contribute 1–2% of worker pay to a National Social Security Fund, increasing the focus on worker welfare.
What Does This Mean for Investors?
When quick-commerce companies stepped back from the 10-minute delivery model following the Labour Ministry’s instructions on January 13, the impact was immediately visible in the stock market. Platforms like Zomato and Swiggy came into sharp focus for investors, seeing a decline between 1% and 2%.
From an investor’s perspective, this change brings a mixed impact. The fast delivery model was the foundation of these companies’ rapidly growing identity and had strengthened consumer attraction.
Therefore, its removal carries a risk of some softening in growth momentum. Additionally, the heavy investments made in expensive setups like dark stores and micro-logistics will now need to be re-evaluated in the context of the new business model. Despite this, the shift could lead companies toward safer, more stable, and regulation-compliant operations, which could create a positive direction for investors in the long run.
What’s Next?
While the 10-minute race of quick-commerce seems to be ending, the sector itself is not disappearing. Instead, it is entering a new phase where sustainability, technology, and profitability will be more important than mere speed. Artificial Intelligence and improved route optimisation technologies will make delivery time estimates more accurate. Along with this, companies will focus on subscription models, larger order baskets, and a more diverse range of products.
Overall, it would not be wrong to say that the 10-minute era is perhaps being left behind, but the story of quick-commerce is far from over. This era will now belong to companies that move forward with wisdom rather than just speed.
*The companies mentioned in the article are for information purposes only. This is not investment advice.
*Disclaimer: Teji Mandi Disclaimer
