A new survey by LocalCircles published on Friday reveals that nearly half of Indian consumers cannot see the 'best before' date of packaged food products while shopping for groceries online. The study, conducted based on responses from more than 17,000 consumers across 164 districts, found that 48 per cent of respondents were unable to find expiry information on most online grocery platforms. According to the survey, 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.
The survey found that five of the eight major online grocery platforms reviewed remained non-compliant with expiry date disclosure requirements. According to LocalCircles, q-commerce platforms including Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, JioMart, and Milkbasket do not consistently display 'best before' dates for packaged food products. In contrast, Amazon Now, Flipkart Minutes and BigBasket were found to be compliant with the regulations. 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 highlighted persistent consumer complaints about receiving near-expiry products, particularly for short-shelf-life items such as bread. As reported by LocalCircles, the most common example reported is bread delivery where the product often has one or two days of shelf life remaining, while the average shelf life is five to seven days. This raises significant concerns about food safety standards and consumer protection in the rapidly growing online grocery delivery sector.
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. However, 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. According to LocalCircles, the FSSAI has issued no directions to platforms to display best-before dates online.
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. As reported by LocalCircles, the survey found that compliance has improved marginally since last year, but significant gaps remain in ensuring proper expiry date disclosure across major online grocery platforms in India.
