Our riders operate within 3-km radius: Zepto on driver safety

The 10-minute grocery delivery start-up's statement comes at a time when several media reports have raised concerns on the safety of riders of quick commerce start-ups.Zepto, the 10-minute grocery delivery start-up, on Tuesday said it is focused on the safety and well-being of its riders and does not penalise or incentivise the delivery workforce based on delayed or early deliveries.

Responding to a query from BusinessToday.In, Zepto said that the company is focused on a model where the delivery partners operate in a 3-kilometre (km) radius, and its dark stores are well positioned to handle heavy volumes.

Zepto’s statement comes at a time when several media reports have raised concerns on the safety of riders of quick commerce start-ups which are increasingly promising deliveries under 10-15 minutes.

Apart from Zepto, Zomato-backed Blinkit has also ventured into quick commerce grocery delivery, underpinning the huge potential the market has in India. These companies are targeting the tech savy millennials and GenZ shoppers from metros. Reliance has also made a strategic investment in delivery start-up Dunzo to further its quick commerce plans, while e-commerce giant Flipkart has announced that it will expand to 1,800 cities.

"We pride ourselves in being industry first movers focusing deeply on our rider partner safety and comfort. By creating a culture of no incentives on deliveries under 10 minutes and no penalty for breach over 10 minutes, we have been able to garner a lot of trust and goodwill from our frontline," a Zepto spokesperson said in a statement.

"Our model and store mapping ensure that our rider partners operate in a much smaller 3 km radius around the same dark store, building greater familiarity, and lowering uncertainty and anxiety around customer drop points. And in case a delivery is taking significantly longer than expected, our grievance redressal team quickly reaches out to assist our riders and take remedial action immediately. To reiterate, the safety and comfort of our Zepto Rider Partners as well as the communities Zepto operates in comes first, and we remain committed to not endanger either for negligible gains," the statement said.

Earlier, a report by Reuters had quoted some riders of Blinkit and Zepto who feared risk to their lives while carrying out deliveries within 10 minutes on Indian roads which are highly accident prone.

India’s gig workers are also demanding social security cover, including health/ life insurance, as well as documented work agreements from the companies. They have urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to include their demands in the forthcoming Union Budget.