The Commerce Ministry on Monday took cognisance of skewed working conditions for gig workers and the impact of quick commerce models on Kirana stores after receiving a letter from a gig workers' collective.
The Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India received a response on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after a letter they sent highlighting poor conditions for workers as well as repeated faulty deliveries due to a lack of quality checks.
The forum's convenor, K. Narasimhan, had written a letter to the Ministry on Aug. 21 in which he highlighted some key issues. NDTV Profit has reviewed a copy of the same.
"While the convenience of quick commerce is undeniable, there have been reports of products being delivered that are close to their expiry dates and not meeting the guidelines mandated by the Department of Consumer Affairs," the letter stated.
He added that many quick commerce firms have been found flouting laws that mandate the disclosure of critical product information, including the expiry date.
"Mentioning 'best before or use by the date, month and year' on its digital/electronic network is a legal prerequisite. However, it has been found that many quick commerce platforms have failed to comply with this requirement and have instead either mentioned 'shelf life' on its platform or have put the onus on the consumers to check the expiry dates after they have bought the food product," the letter said.
Further, Narasimhan advocated for the introduction of health check-ups, wellness programmes, and insurance schemes for delivery personnel, along with adequate breaks during their work hours.
It has also urged the formation of a committee to monitor products being delivered with the power to issue notices against erring players, apart from regular audits and government-backed incentives and training programmes for kirana shops to adopt quick commerce platforms.
In response, the Ministry said the matter related to skewed working conditions and faulty deliveries has been forwarded to the concerned ministry. "Further, your recommendations regarding protecting Kirana shops from quick commerce models have been noted by this Department for necessary action," the letter from the Ministry stated, which has been accessed by NDTV Profit exclusively.
Recently, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had also spoken about how the growth of e-commerce can cause "huge social disruption" to retailers and shop owners in the country.
"We look at it as a source of pride. Lots of youngsters, including my children, order online. But we must remember that what we’re doing today is going to determine the future of India 10 years down the line," he had said at an event in August.
E-commerce doesn’t attack every part of the retail store. Every store has only 5–10% items that make a good profit for the store owner, Goyal said. "E-commerce is edging and wedging into high-margin products; imagine what happens to the over 10 million retail stores in our cities."
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