Swiggy Unit Gets Food Safety Notices From India Regulator

India’s food regulator issued notices to Swiggy Ltd.’s quick commerce unit Instamart following consumer complaints alleging supply of expired, spoiled and contaminated food products through it.

(Bloomberg) — India’s food regulator issued notices to Swiggy Ltd.’s quick commerce unit Instamart following consumer complaints alleging supply of expired, spoiled and contaminated food products through it. There are complaints alleging some products, including certain brands of eggs, sold through the platform were found to be expired, rotten and possibly unfit for human consumption, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said in an Instagram post on Saturday. Some complaints alleged that no satisfactory response, grievance redressal or corrective action was taken despite the complaints having been forwarded or escalated, FSSAI said.

Swiggy’s Instamart is reviewing the listings flagged by FSSAI and is in touch with the authorities to resolve the same, the company said in an email. The notices also raised concerns regarding incorrect, invalid or non-existent FSSAI license numbers, and food business entities allegedly being listed under names different from those listed against their FSSAI registration, the regulator said. Instamart has been asked to submit a detailed explanation, supported by documentary evidence, and provide details of corrective and preventive actions, the regulator said.

The FSSAI has stepped up enforcement in recent years. Most recently, the body issued notices to at least six energy drink makers for allegedly making misleading claims. Last year, it barred makers of sugary drinks from labeling their products as Oral Rehydration Solution unless they met the World Health Organization’s formula.

—With assistance from Siddhi Nayak. (Updates with response from company in third paragraph. An earlier version of the story was corrected to say regulator has received complaints.)