Maharashtra FDA Suspends Licences of Blinkit and Zepto Facilities Over Safety Violations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has suspended the operating licences of two Blinkit facilities located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar following inspections that uncovered cold-chain lapses, expired inventory, hygiene issues, and missing traceability documentation. The regulatory action forms part of a broader Statewide enforcement drive targeting quick-commerce food storage and delivery hubs, which also led to the suspension of a Zepto facility in Chembur, Mumbai.

What Happened

Inspections conducted at Blinkit hubs in the High Court Colony in Satara and in Harsul revealed several food-safety violations. In Satara, FDA inspectors Varsha Rode and Kirtika Jhade noted that cigarettes, including brands such as Wills, Classic, and Marlboro, were being stored and sold alongside food items, violating prohibitions against selling tobacco products from food retail sites. In addition, an item requiring continuous refrigeration—Salisbury Caramelised Onion & Dill Dip—was found on standard room-temperature shelves, while expired jars of Brajratna Cow Ghee were mixed with regular stock rather than segregated. Inspectors also recorded cross-contamination risks, noting vegetarian and non-vegetarian products placed on the same cold-storage shelf, and cleaning chemicals stored with food. Employees lacked mandatory annual medical check-up records, aprons, gloves, and head coverings. Business relationship records and supply traceability linking Blinkit to invoices from Hyperpure, Zomato Hyperpure, and Moonstone Ventures were unavailable.

At the Harsul location, FDA inspector Farid Siddiqui documented that two toilets opened directly opposite storage racks holding flour, potatoes, and onions. The facility displayed tobacco spit marks, poor handwashing sanitation, lack of historical temperature logs for cold rooms, broken flooring and stairs, uncollected garbage, and an absence of rodent traps. Water potability reports, employee medical records, and supply invoices were also missing.

D.V. Patil, Assistant Commissioner (Food) and Licensing Authority of the FDA, issued immediate suspension orders for both Blinkit units, citing public health risks. Under the order, Blink Commerce Private Limited and its representatives are barred from buying, storing, delivering, or selling goods through the Blinkit app from these locations during the suspension.

Key Highlights

• Blinkit Licences Suspended: Two hubs in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Satara and Harsul) had licences suspended due to hygiene, temperature, and documentation failures.
• Illegal Tobacco Sales: The Satara facility sold commercial cigarette brands alongside grocery items contrary to retail regulations.
• Cold-Chain and Storage Failures: Refrigerated dips were kept at room temperature, while non-vegetarian and vegetarian items shared cold storage shelves.
• Zepto Chembur Suspension: A prior inspection between July 14 and August 17 resulted in the suspension of a Zepto warehouse in Chembur due to temperature non-compliance, peeling paint, and missing pest control.
• Missing Compliance Records: Both operators failed to provide potable water reports, employee health certificates, or clear supply-chain traceability documents in inspected units.

Why This Matters

The regulatory findings directly demonstrate the enforcement of food-safety standards across quick-commerce operations in Maharashtra. Temperature deviations in dairy, dips, and meats, coupled with compromised warehouse sanitation and missing traceability documents, present hazards to consumers relying on app-based delivery platforms for daily provisions.

What to Watch Next

Blink Commerce Private Limited is legally prohibited from fulfilling consumer orders or conducting warehouse operations from the two suspended Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar hubs while the suspension remains active. The actions follow a Statewide inspection drive conducted by the FDA between July 14 and August 17.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were Blinkit’s licences suspended in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar?

The FDA suspended the licences due to improper storage of temperature-sensitive foods, expired ghee kept in sale inventory, prohibited sales of tobacco products, poor sanitation, missing pest control, and an inability to produce mandatory employee health and supply-chain records.

What violations were detected at the Zepto Chembur hub?

The Zepto facility was suspended after inspectors recorded non-vegetarian chilled items kept at 9°C instead of the 5°C limit, and frozen stock at minus 11°C instead of minus 18°C. The site also had missing freezer door locks, poor ventilation, oil-stained floors, and unverified water potability.

Source: Based on a report by The Hindu.