Quick commerce industry’s hygiene headache explained

Over the past couple of years, quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, Flipkart Minutes, and BigBasket have launched hundreds of dark stores to meet their ultra-fast delivery promises even as they moved beyond groceries into electronics, premium products, and even pharmaceuticals.

But behind this breakneck expansion, signs are emerging that some dark stores may be cutting corners on hygiene and food safety, putting the industry under an unwelcome spotlight.

A recent investigation by the Maharashtra food and drug administration (FDA) in…