74% quick commerce consumers surveyed support Government move to restrict 10-minute delivery; For those who still want it, medicine delivery is the top use case

January 14, 2026, New Delhi: The Union Labour Ministry, led by Mansukh Mandaviya, has urged leading quick commerce companies to stop advertising fixed “10-minute” delivery promises in their marketing, citing growing concerns that extreme timelines place undue pressure on delivery partners, compromise road safety, and worsen gig worker conditions.

Following government discussions and mounting pressure from gig worker unions (who staged strikes in late December over pay and safety issues), Blinkit has already removed its 10-minute delivery tagline from apps and branding, replacing it with more generic messaging about doorstep delivery. Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato are expected to follow suit.

While the move does not totally ban super-fast commerce logistics, it signals a recalibration of industry norms toward more sustainable, worker-friendly practices. Experts suggest this shift won’t derail the quick commerce model, but will likely redefine consumer expectations and encourage platforms to balance speed with safety and labour welfare. This development marks a watershed moment for India’s booming quick commerce market, as regulatory focus intensifies on labour standards alongside innovation and growth.

The Indian consumer, many of who regularly share their experiences and issues on LocalCircles about quick commerce services have been discussing the subject from the context of convenience, value as well as road safety.

Through a nationwide survey, LocalCircles has strived to find out how consumers of quick commerce services across the country view the issue of 10-minute delivery and what are the products they seek quick delivery for. The survey received over 90,000 responses from quick commerce consumers located in 180 districts of urban India. 61% respondents were men while 39% respondents were women. 49% respondents were from tier 1, 28% from tier 2 and 23% respondents were from tier 3 & 4 districts.

74% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed support the Government’s advisory to remove the 10-minute delivery timeline

The survey first asked Quick Commerce platform users, “The government has nudged Quick Commerce platforms to remove the 10-minute delivery timeline. Do you support such a move?” Out of 49,130 who responded to the question, 74% indicated “yes” they support the government move; 17% of respondents indicated “no”; and 9% of respondents did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 74% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed support the Government’s advisory to remove the 10-minute delivery timeline. It must be noted here that while consumers enjoy these services, many are concerned about road safety and driver safety as well and believe that the delivery should be pressure free for the rider.

38% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed say they do not want anything within 10 minutes

Consumers buy a range of products from Quick Commerce platforms from fruits and vegetables to groceries, cooked food, medicines, etc. The survey asked consumers, “Do you want Quick Commerce platforms to deliver any product (medicines, essentials, discretionary items, etc.) to you within 10 minutes?” Out of 41,324 who responded to the question 62% indicated “yes” they was some of the products delivered within 10 minutes; but 38% of respondents indicated “no” they don’t want any products delivered in such a short period. In essence, 38% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed say they do not want anything within 10 minutes.

Of those consumers who want a 10-minute delivery service, it matters most for medicine delivery followed by essentials

A breakup of survey data on “For what all is a 10-minute delivery timeline must have?”, out of 25,621 consumers who indicated that they want to continue availing the fast delivery facilities some indicated more than one option. All or 100% indicated “medicines”; 55% indicated “essentials” and 25% indicated “discretionary”. In essence, of those consumers who want a 10-minute delivery service, it matters most for medicine delivery followed by essentials.

In summary, 74% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed support the Government’s advisory to remove the 10-minute delivery timeline. In fact, 38% of Quick Commerce consumers surveyed say they do not want anything within 10 minutes. However, among those who want a 10-minute delivery service, they are all keen for fast or speedy medicine delivery followed by essentials.

The question that requires pondering is, unless it is a lifesaving drug/ medicine, why are Quick Commerce platforms pushing the riders to deliver the order in 10 minutes when most consumers can afford to wait for an extra 10-15 minutes for delivery of most other products? Based on what the survey suggests, a large number of consumers clearly support the idea of a fast delivery, however without pushing pressure on the rider and compromising public safety on roads.

LocalCircles will share the findings of this survey with key stakeholders in the Central and State Governments for their awareness and necessary policy interventions.