Minute Delivery, Major Revelations: Ex-Zepto Insider Spills the Tea

Image Source: News18

A viral Reddit thread by a past Zepto worker rocked India's quick commerce sector, providing a grim view of unhygienic conditions, stale products, and an allegedly toxic work environment at the quickly expanding food delivery company.

Key Highlights:

The three-year Zepto employee turned whistleblower explained how store managers would constantly ship out expired products like spoiled Greek yogurt and rotting fruits and vegetables, prioritizing speed over safety.

The post says the stores were perpetually flooded with monsoon gutter water and that the employees had to labor in unsanitary conditions for hours without their proper footwear or medical care.

Besides sanitation, the former employee also criticized Zepto's "toxic" and "unethical" company culture, just as with previous complaints of irregular working hours, 14-hour workdays, and exploitation of young workers.

Top management at the company, such as CEO Aadit Palicha, was accused of unusual working hours and late evening meetings that resulted in burnout and excessive employee turnover.

The whistleblower's revelation has rekindled controversy surrounding working conditions and consumer protection in India's booming quick commerce sector.

Prospects: While Zepto is under increasing scrutiny, there are more demands for regulation and intervention to introduce stricter labor and hygiene practices within the industry. The case is a reminder to startups to couple growth with ethics and employee welfare.

Sources: Republic World, HRKatha, LinkedIn