App-etite Lost: Thousands of Eateries Axed for Licence Lapses

In a sweeping move to uphold food safety standards, leading food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato have delisted over 5,000 restaurants from their platforms for failing to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licensing requirements. This action follows a series of directives from FSSAI, which has been tightening its oversight of e-commerce food business operators in response to mounting consumer complaints about substandard food and hygiene practices.

The crackdown began after FSSAI instructed major food-tech players to remove non-compliant restaurant partners, ensuring only licensed and registered establishments remain accessible to consumers. Both Swiggy and Zomato have implemented dedicated programmes to assist restaurant partners in obtaining the necessary FSSAI licences, offering training, compliance kits, and helplines to facilitate the process. Delisted restaurants can be reinstated once they secure the mandatory certification.

FSSAI’s recent advisories have also mandated that all food delivery platforms must display FSSAI licence or registration numbers and hygiene ratings for listed restaurants, enhancing transparency and consumer trust. Additionally, new rules require that food and non-food items be delivered separately, and that delivery personnel are trained in food safety and hygiene.

This decisive action is part of a broader push to raise the bar for food safety in India’s rapidly growing online food delivery sector, ensuring that consumer health and confidence remain at the forefront as the industry evolves.

Sources: FSSAI, Economic Times, Inc42, Indian Retailer, Financial Express