The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has penalised several ecommerce and quick commerce platforms, including Amazon Seller Services, Flipkart, Bigbasket, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto, for regulatory non-compliance related to food safety. The actions were taken under the FSS Act, 2006, following violations such as misbranding, misleading claims, and the sale of prohibited or poisonous food items, the regulator announced on social media.
The penalisation was based on specific products hosted on these platforms. Amazon and Bigbasket were cited for selling Happilo Premium Date Bites (Zesty Orange) with misleading claims and for listing Datura fruits and seeds, which are prohibited. Bigbasket also faced penalties for misleading claims on Milky Mist’s Fresh Low Fat Cream, Farm Fresh Curd, and Greek Yoghurt. Flipkart and Swiggy Instamart were similarly penalised for the same Happilo product and Datura items, highlighting widespread non-compliance across major players.
This enforcement underscores the regulator's focus on ensuring food safety standards in the rapidly growing ecommerce and quick commerce sectors in India. The penalties reflect increasing scrutiny of online platforms that have become major channels for food distribution. The move aligns with FSSAI's broader mandate to protect consumers from misleading information and unsafe food products, a concern that has grown with the expansion of digital marketplaces.
FSSAI’s public disclosure of these penalties marks a significant regulatory step, signaling stricter oversight of online food sales. The regulator’s actions were announced this week, with the affected companies now required to address the compliance issues to avoid further legal consequences.