Sri Vijaya Puram, July 11: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued nine notices to Swiggy Instamart over consumer complaints alleging the supply of expired, spoiled, contaminated and otherwise unsafe food products, escalating regulatory scrutiny of the quick commerce platform. The food regulator has sought a detailed explanation from the company and warned that action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, may follow if compliance requirements are not met.
In a statement issued on Saturday through its official social media platform, FSSAI said the notices were issued after receiving multiple consumer complaints alleging violations related to food safety and quality. The regulator said the complaints involved products that were allegedly expired, rotten, contaminated or otherwise unfit for human consumption.
Among the observations cited in the notices, FSSAI said eggs were allegedly marketed under a brand name that was not covered under the product categories approved in the existing FSSAI licence. The regulator directed the Food Business Operator (FBO) not to market the product unless it was covered under a valid licence and advised it to apply for a licence modification if required.
The notices also referred to complaints alleging that products, including “Healthify 100 per cent Whey Protein 1 kg” and “Noice Homestyle Madras Mixture with Peanuts”, were supplied after their expiry dates.
In another complaint examined by the regulator, an “Akshayakalpa Organic Egg” was reportedly found expired, rotten, emitting a foul odour and showing signs of contamination, making it unfit for human consumption.
FSSAI further said that “Kakke da Paratha” was allegedly found spoiled and emitting a foul odour, rendering it unsuitable for consumption. In one case, the regulator stated that no corrective action was taken by the Food Business Operator despite the complaint being escalated.
The regulator also cited a complaint involving an infant food formulation that was allegedly found in a deteriorated and unsafe condition. According to FSSAI, the product was re-supplied to the consumer even after the defective item had been returned.
FSSAI has directed the Food Business Operator to submit a detailed explanation addressing the alleged non-compliances and the circumstances that led to the reported incidents. It has also sought information on the company’s food safety systems, quality assurance measures, corrective actions and the steps taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The regulator has directed the company to furnish the required explanation and compliance report within the stipulated period. It said failure to comply could invite appropriate action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
