e-commerce
FHRAI raises concerns over Zomato & Swiggy’s private label business
MUMBAI: This was bound to happen. Especially with the quick commerce guys evolving from delivery to making their own food products (call them private labels) and delivering them. This is ruining the appetite of hoteliers and restaurant owners.
And they are voicing their irritation through their representative body – The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), the world’s third-largest hospitality association which has voiced strong objections to Zomato and Swiggy’s entry into the private label food delivery business.
The association has alleged unfair competition, misuse of restaurant data, and potential food safety risks, citing the platforms’ market dominance as detrimental to the businesses they were initially designed to support.
FHRAI has announced its intention to meet with the ministry of commerce to push for regulatory action to ensure fair practices in the food service sector.
The association’s concerns center on the alleged misuse of proprietary restaurant data by Zomato and Swiggy. This data, encompassing customer preferences, sales trends, and order histories, is reportedly being used to create personalised deals and develop private label products.
FHRAI vice-president Pradeep Shetty highlighted the ethical and legal implications of these practices. “These platforms were originally designed as neutral marketplaces to connect consumers with restaurants. However, by introducing and promoting their own food products, they are exploiting sensitive data to compete directly with the restaurants they serve. This creates an uneven playing field and jeopardises the livelihoods of small and medium-sized businesses,” said Shetty.
He further emphasised that restaurants lack access to the same data, making it even harder for them to compete in an already challenging market.
Another significant issue raised by the FHRAI is the lack of transparency surrounding food safety standards for these private label products. While restaurants are subject to stringent safety regulations, the same standards may not be enforced for products sold by the platforms. This lack of accountability, FHRAI argues, could undermine consumer trust and damage the reputation of the restaurant industry.
Originally established to connect restaurants with customers, Zomato and Swiggy have expanded their operations into the quick commerce space by creating private label food products. This move has raised fears of monopolistic practices, as the platforms now control not just the distribution but also the creation and sale of food.
The association warned that without clear regulations, these developments could harm competition and consumer choice in the food service market.
FHRAI is advocating for enforceable guidelines to:
* Protect restaurant data from misuse.
* Ensure private label food products meet the same safety and quality standards as restaurant food.
* Maintain transparency and fairness in the food service industry.
“We urge regulators to take swift action to address these issues. A transparent and competitive environment is essential for the survival and growth of all stakeholders, including restaurants, delivery platforms, and consumers,” Shetty stated.
Will the regulators do something to restore the FHRAI’s appetite?
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
