What if the real cost of convenience isn’t just financial, but societal?

The emergence of 10-minute delivery services in India with platforms like Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto has completely upended the perception of convenience in urban living. Consumers of these services have undeniably benefited, especially people who are always on the clock and appreciate time-saving services. Even so, these services are full of underlying issues such as financial viability, labor exploitation, ecological impact, and the social effects concerning our day-to-day lifestyle of convenience. In this article, we analyze these societal puzzles and delve to its core, asking if the quick delivery model stands the test of time or if it’s just another passing facade.

The ultrafast delivery model with its inclination for quick commerce has raised venture capital, with great promise paving the way. For instance, Blinkit has only so far offered 10-minute delivery. In its most recent financial report for the quarter, Swiggy reported a loss of 10.81 billion due to overspending on the merchandising front in Instamart. Similarly, Zepto, being valued at an estimated 5 billion dollars, has gotten in trouble for quick but unsustainable growth.

With an order income of only ₹170 and an average order fulfillment cost of ₹270, each completed order results in an astonishing loss of ₹100. This model relies on ongoing funding and lacks a clear and viable path to profitability. This form of sustenance relies on a difficult but significant question: for how long can this model survive on borrowed time?  

Some people see the 10-minute delivery time as a sign of convenience, but the human capital cost associated with it is huge. To deliver within these timelines, workers drive dangerously in heavily congested traffic. This immense pressure to deliver within a set timeline raises questions on traffic safety norms, compensation of the delivery personnel, and the overall system’s regard for human life. Platforms often encourage rapid completion by gamifying the delivery speed to oversell themselves, resulting in a systematic burnout.  

This sector lacks the basic benefits of a steady paycheck and social rights to healthcare and leave. AICPDF (All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation) has filed against the quick commerce companies in India for antitrust violations based on the predatory pricing model and the utterly negative impact it imposes on small retailers and the workers.

Quick commerce also contributes heavily to environmental degradation. According to studies, India emits 285g of CO₂ per last-mile delivery, which is much more than the global average of 204g. The increasing number of delivery trucks on roads has led to traffic and pollution in cities, especially metropolitan ones, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Some firms have started implementing solutions such as electric cars and minimizing packaging, but such solutions tend to fall short of balancing the overall environmental expenses of such swift operations.

This impulse toward speedy delivery is a symptom of a bigger trend that flies under the radar: instant gratification in consumption. Though it fits well with our busy lifestyles, it erodes our patience, our ability to plan, or even our enjoyment of delayed satisfaction. The ease of having things delivered to our doorstep brings about a culture of excess, where we neglect the effort that used to go into visiting traditional stores.

In the whole process, we’ve been used to thinking that we can get anything we need instantly. Last-minute selections are common for anything from groceries and medicines to necessities. This change has shaped our expectations, affecting not only the provider platforms but also us, and making last-minute decisions the norm.

Furthermore, increased consumption and waste may result from such 24/7 availability. As customers, we must take a moment to consider whether we are sacrificing sustainability for speed.

The rapid expansion of quick commerce has also been responsible for the downfall of brick-and-mortar, especially local small shops. The discounts and convenience provided by these websites are luring people away from local stores. According to a recent survey, 36% of consumers are going to supermarkets less often, and 46% have cut down their purchases from independent retailers.

This is not just a business problem; it’s a community issue. These retail stores are crucial to our local economy. Slowly, they are fading away with time, changing how cities operate altogether on a larger level.

To address these issues, these platforms must rethink and reassess their approaches in some key respects:

Switching to delivery windows of 20 to 30 minutes could relieve employee strain and lessen environmental impact without sacrificing customer satisfaction. Delivery partners’ lives can be enhanced and turnover can be reduced by paying fair wages, giving better benefits, and creating safer working environments. Environmental costs can be decreased by giving priority to eco-friendly packaging, smarter delivery routes, and electric vehicles. Customers may become more thoughtful if they are informed about the trade-offs between rapid gratification and other benefits. Partnering with neighborhood stores may establish a healthier, more equitable ecosystem that works for everyone while saving traditional retail.

In the end, the 10-minute delivery model is at a juncture of technology and shifting consumer attitudes. The convenience is obvious, but there are serious implications for economies, the environment, and our consumer habits. For this model to survive and succeed over time, it needs to adapt with awareness of its effect. 

References

  • Reuters. (2025, March 6). Fast-delivery companies Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto face India antitrust case over discounts. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/fast-delivery-companies-zomato-swiggy-zepto-face-india-antitrust-case-over-2025-03-06/

  • The Growth Elements. (2025, March 27). Quick Commerce with 10-Minute Deliveries: Who Will Survive the Cash Burn? https://www.thegrowthelements.com/p/quick-commerce-with-10-minute-deliveries-who-will-survive-the-cash-burn

  • LinkedIn. (2025, January). How India’s Quick Commerce Giants Gamify Labor to Crush Gig Workers.https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fast-deliveries-slow-exploitation-how-indias-quick-commerce-sharma-nfpjc
  • The Economic Times. (2024, October 29). Quick-commerce risks: A lot can go wrong when everything arrives in 10 minutes. https://m.economictimes.com/industry/services/retail/quick-commerce-risks-a-lot-can-go-wrong-when-everything-arrives-in-10-minutes/articleshow/114709888.cms

  • Reuters. (2024, June 11). Indians get hooked on 10-minute grocery apps, squeezing small retailers. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/indians-get-hooked-10-minute-grocery-apps-squeezing-small-retailers-2024-06-11/