The Maharashtra FDA suspended licences of 14 food business establishments linked to platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart following a state-wide inspection drive.
Published: August 14, 2026, 9:05 PM IST
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Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 14 food business establishments linked to online delivery platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart. The decision came after a state-wide inspection drive on August 13 uncovered multiple food safety and hygiene violations across dark stores and warehousesHere are all the details you need to know about the recent action against Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart.
Why Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart are in trouble?
During the drive, regulatory officials inspected 86 online food delivery facilities across Maharashtra. The regulator issued 60 improvement notices and ordered one facility to immediately stop business operations, though no licences were permanently cancelled. Out of the 14 suspended licences, five belonged to Blinkit establishments, five to Zepto, two to Instamart, one to Bhagwati Stores, and one to Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd.
The inspections covered storage, temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, personal hygiene of food handlers, compliance with FIFO/FEFO (First In, First Out/First Expired, First Out) practices, food safety records and display of licencesThe FDA said it took suspension action where it found serious non-compliance.
Major action taken by FDA
In Pune, the FDA suspended the licence of a Zepto outlet in the Lohegaon area after finding multiple lapsesSome food products were kept beyond their declared “Use By” datesInspectors also found that FIFO/FEFO practices were not being followed and reported unhygienic storage conditions, inadequate pest control and serious personal hygiene deficiencies, said the regulator.
The quick commerce firm’s response during the hearing was found unsatisfactory, it added.
The FDA also suspended the licence of Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd at Warje Jakat Naka in PuneInspectors found cockroach infestation, inadequate maintenance of the cold chain for frozen products, problems with temperature control and serious shortcomings in hygiene and pest-control practices, said the food safety body.
At a Blinkit facility in Malad (West), Mumbai, inspectors found the chiller room temperature at 6 degrees Celsius, above the required levelThey also found that around 40 food handlers had not undergone medical examinations and that records were unavailable, said the FDA.
Several handlers were not using headgear, aprons and glovesThe inspection found disorganised storage, damaged or rusted racks, inadequate segregation of vegetarian, non-vegetarian, cooked and dairy products, and shortcomings in training and food safety supervision, it said.
(With inputs from agencies)
