Most Chennai households have grown accustomed to the lightning-fast services offered by quick commerce platforms that deliver products to the doorstep within mere minutes of placing an order. It isn’t just groceries, either; from mobile phones, induction cooktops and 24 karat gold coins to tennis racquets, lipsticks and silk sarees, it appears that there’s no ‘urgent’ requirement that a delivery app cannot satisfy. A 2024 study that surveyed customers in 16 cities including Chennai concluded that 31 per cent of shoppers use quick commerce as their primary shopping channel, while a recent study published by Bain and Flipkart reveals that two-thirds of India’s e-grocery orders last year were fulfilled by quick commerce players. The trend is clear – fast delivery has become a key differentiator.
The upsides of quick commerce are obvious enough. For consumers, it is convenient. Imagine realising you’re out of, say, coriander while in the midst of cooking; you can have the ingredient delivered without moving away from the kitchen. The service is useful not just in times of exigencies – for those unable to leave their homes (for instance, in times of quarantine) the service is a real lifesaver. Quick commerce has also boosted gig employment by creating thousands of flexible delivery jobs in the city. The downsides, however, appear to be a much longer list.
For one, the frequent delivery trips add to the city’s traffic emission and leave behind a heavier environmental footprint. Tight deadlines translate to intense pressure on delivery partners, leading to dangerous driving and traffic violations – according to The Hindu, Chennai recorded nearly 8,500 traffic violations by delivery riders last year. Single-use packaging is also compounding our waste crisis; Chennai already generates approximately 5,400–6,150 tonnes of solid waste every day, and this number is bound to burgeon with the addition of packaging waste from deliveries.
Local businesses are finding themselves undermined too. From maligai kadais and pharmacies to stationery stores, shops are struggling to compete with the discounts and quick delivery conveniences that apps are offering consumers. While some have struck partnerships with quick commerce players, many have shut down – the Greater Chennai Corporation says that 20 per cent of traditional grocers in the city have closed their businesses over the last five years, as have 30 per cent of larger departmental stores. Not only is this a blow to local entrepreneurs, it is also perhaps not quite healthy for the job market, either – after all, gig employment by its very nature does not earn rewarding or stable incomes, and is not well-regulated to boot.
In fact, quick commerce may not be entirely beneficial to consumers, even. Easy deliveries encourage impulse purchases, and hidden charges and dynamic pricing drive up costs when households are not attentive – quick commerce users spend 20 per cent more on their regular groceries than if they had shopped through other channels.
And so, the question arises – does Chennai’s quick commerce sector need regulation? Absolutely, yes.
For one, a renewed focus is required on single-use plastic waste arising from quick commerce deliveries. While some players use bio-degradable packaging, studies show that quick commerce deliveries still have a heavy plastic footprint. Platforms must be mandated to switch to re-usable or compostable packaging. For another, delivery fleets must be either mandated or incentivised to switch to EVs, and time-bound targets must be defined. Compliance to traffic rules by delivery partners must also be monitored and stressed upon.
Given that quick commerce platforms were found to have violated safety standards in other states, it will serve the city well for the administration to frame an audit mechanism of dark stores (quick commerce warehouses) to ensure hygiene norms are adhered to. Consumers can also be protected from unfair pricing, fake discounts and surcharges if transparent pricing is enforced. In fact, consumer awareness is lacking in this domain – public service announcements around the hidden costs of habitual usage of quick commerce for non-essentials can serve the city well. There must also exist the scope to support local businesses in the face of the quick commerce revolution, so that they don’t lose out but benefit instead. Support programs and training can help neighbourhood shops strike mutually-benefical partnerships with platforms or even tap into app-based deliveries themselves.
Quick commerce has gained rapid ground and established itself as a consumer habit. There’s no question that rapid deliveries are convenient, but without regulation and oversight, the long-term environmental, economic and social costs stand to be devstatating. Consumer convenience should not come at the cost of the well-being of our environment and communities.