Nearly half of online grocery shoppers can’t check expiry dates: Survey | Industry News
Nearly half of Indian consumers cannot see expiry dates while shopping for groceries online, with five major platforms failing to consistently display the information despite disclosure requirements
Anjaly Raj New Delhi
Nearly one in two Indian consumers shopping for groceries online still cannot see the “best before” date of packaged food products before making a purchase, despite regulations mandating such disclosures, a new survey by LocalCircles published on Friday stated.
The study found that 48 per cent of respondents were unable to find expiry information on most online grocery platforms, with five of the eight major players reviewed remaining non-compliant.
Which grocery platforms are failing to display expiry dates?
The LocalCircles survey found that q-commerce platforms, including Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, JioMart, and Milkbasket, do not consistently display “best before” dates for packaged food products, while Amazon Now, Flipkart Minutes and BigBasket were found to be compliant.
This comes as quick-commerce platforms are racing to deliver groceries in under 10 minutes, intensifying concerns over whether consumer protection and food safety standards are keeping pace with the sector’s rapid growth.
The survey, conducted based on responses from more than 17,000 consumers across 164 districts, found that nearly 35 per cent of respondents said they could not find expiry information on any platform, while another 13 per cent said such details were available only on a few apps or websites.
Why are consumers worried about near-expiry grocery deliveries?
Consumer complaints about receiving near-expiry products have persisted, particularly for short-shelf-life items such as bread, the survey noted. It added that one of the most common examples reported on LocalCircles is that of bread, where the product delivered often has one or two days of shelf life remaining, while the average shelf life is five to seven days.
What do the rules require platforms to disclose?
Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Amendment Rules, 2018, products listed on e-commerce platforms are required to display “best before” or “use by” dates, including the day, month, and year, for packaged food products at the point of sale.
Why has FSSAI not enforced online expiry-date disclosures?
LocalCircles said enforcement has remained weak as food products fall under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which has instead focused on ensuring that online platforms sell products with at least 30 per cent shelf life remaining or a minimum of 45 days before expiry at the time of delivery. However, the FSSAI has issued no directions to platforms to display best-before dates online.
Has compliance improved since last year?
While compliance has improved marginally since 2024, when 57 per cent of respondents in the survey reported being unable to find “best before” dates online, nearly half of consumers continue to face the issue.
