The news: The Indian government has asked quick-commerce platforms to drop their 10-minute delivery promises, amid concerns that ultra-tight deadlines are increasing safety risks and pressures for delivery workers, per the BBC.

The context: Federal Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met last week with executives from major quick-commerce platforms—including Blinkit, Zepto, and Zomato—to discuss steps to improve worker safety and labor conditions.

The talks appear to have prompted Blinkit, India’s leading rapid-commerce player, to remove the 10-minute delivery guarantee from its app branding, with others expected to follow.

Why it matters: India sits at the leading edge of quick commerce, but the model is spreading globally, bringing similar labor and safety concerns in its wake.

• Amazon, for example, launched Amazon Now in India last year before expanding it to the UAE, promising delivery of everyday essentials in 15 minutes, and as fast as 6 minutes in some neighborhoods.
• The company has also partnered with delivery firm Gopuff to offer ultra-fast delivery in several UK cities, including London and Manchester.

Implications for retailers: Amazon executives have long argued that faster delivery drives up spending by turning ecommerce into a viable substitute for a trip to a store—especially for everyday items like toothpaste and toilet paper. That clearly resonates with shoppers: 1 in 5 say delivery speed is one of the most important factors when buying online, per an Ipsos global survey.

But India’s growing scrutiny of quick-commerce platforms underscores the very real trade-offs in the race for speed, particularly as delivery promises shrink to 15 minutes or less—a bar that’s never been realistic across much of the US. For retailers, the challenge now is finding the right balance between speed and sustainability, as labor, safety, and regulatory risks move into sharper focus.