What pushed Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto to drop 10-minute delivery tag?

UPDATED: Jan 14, 2026 16:54 IST

On December 31, the noisiest night of the year, bursting with fireworks, music, cheers and countdowns, quick commerce gig workers chose silence as their loudest protest. As cities celebrated the New Year, delivery agents of quick commerce platforms logged off their apps on a day that needed them the most. No slogans, no marches, just absence. And within days, that silence forced a rethink in an industry built on speed.

Barely 13 days after delivery agents from Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto and other quick commerce platforms went on strike, the much-touted “10-minute delivery” promise has begun to disappear. Blinkit became the first major player to drop the claim, with others expected to follow suit.

WHAT CHANGED?

Blinkit, which once marketed itself aggressively on ultra-fast delivery, has now stepped back from the promise that defined India’s quick commerce boom. It quietly altered its tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep.”

The once-flashing 10-minute guarantee no longer appears when you click the app. It’s the same Blinkit, delivering milk, midnight Maggi, and last-minute snacks, but without a stopwatch ticking down for the delivery boy having to risk their lives for a living.

Sources indicated that Blinkit is set to drop references to “10-minute delivery” across its brand communications, including advertisements, marketing campaigns, and social media platforms.

The move does not imply a slowdown in delivery times. Rather, the company is expected to move away from highlighting specific time guarantees in its public messaging, as platforms increasingly seek to avoid commitments that could be interpreted as incentivising unsafe delivery practices.

WHAT BROUGHT THE CHANGE?

The shift comes after months of criticism that the marketing promise encouraged unsafe riding practices, often pushing delivery agents to risk their lives for speed.

Government intervention played a crucial role. Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked quick commerce companies to rethink fixed delivery timelines, sources told India Today. The move follows nationwide strikes by delivery partners on New Year’s Eve 2025 and Christmas Day.

Even as Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal claimed that the business model didn't rely on delivery partners driving at breakneck speed, but by the location of the dark stores, the gig workers' protests and everyday scenes from roads speak a different reality.

More than two lakh riders reportedly refused to deliver food, groceries and other essentials on December 31, demanding fair pay, safety and dignity at work.

Following the protests, the government engaged with platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato. Mandaviya held multiple meetings with company officials, during which he urged them to remove fixed delivery time commitments from branding and marketing campaigns.

The concern, sources said, was that such rigid timelines could intensify pressure on delivery workers — regardless of companies’ claims that deliveries are optimised by proximity and technology.

All major platforms have since assured the government that delivery-time guarantees will be removed from advertisements and social media promotions.

REALITY ON THE GROUND

For delivery agents, however, the change feels more cosmetic than real. A Blinkit delivery partner told India Today that the situation on the ground remains unchanged.

“I delivered your order in less than 10 minutes. The words may have changed, but the task and expectations are still the same,” he said.

A Zepto rider who arrived in just seven minutes with two items echoed the sentiment.

“We are used to it now. More deliveries mean more money for us. But maybe this will help, so others don’t feel pressured to risk their lives. We are humans too.”

Another Blinkit rider said he was unaware of the change altogether.

“I didn’t know about this. For me, it’s just another day. I’m doing the same job I was doing before.”

For now, the 10-minute delivery promise may have vanished from billboards and app screens, but its shadow still lingers on the road. The government’s intervention and the companies’ swift rebranding mark a symbolic victory for delivery workers who chose silence over slogans.

Yet, as riders continue to race against time to make ends meet, the real test lies beyond marketing language. Whether this shift translates into safer working conditions, fairer pay and realistic expectations on the ground remains to be seen. Until then, the clock may be gone, but the race is far from over.

- Ends