PUNE: The state food and drug administration (FDA) will begin mandatory surprise inspections of dark stores and warehouses operated by quick commerce companies; food and drug administration minister Narhari Zirwal on Thursday informed the legislative assembly. The announcement came on the back of a discussion between members about allegedly expired food items being sold on quick commerce platforms.
MLAs Bhimrao Tapkir, Siddharth Shirole, Amit Deshmukh and Ajay Chaudhari flagged the lack of proactive monitoring of quick commerce platforms, pointing out that inspections were usually conducted only after complaints were received. The members also raised concerns about storage conditions inside ‘dark stores’ or small warehouses.
Tapkir questioned why surprise inspections are not conducted regularly and urged the department to introduce mandatory barcode scanning to prevent dispatch of expired products. Replying to Tapkir’s question, Zirwal said that the government will amend existing provisions of the law to introduce mandatory self-declaration norms regarding the remaining shelf life of food products. “Surprise inspections will be conducted even without complaints. Action will be taken to ensure that establishments declare and comply with expiry and storage norms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chaudhari said that many consumers do not check expiry dates immediately, allowing unsafe products to reach households. Whereas Shirole said, “Serious lapses in storage standards and inspection protocols at dark stores operated by companies such as Blinkit, Swiggy and Zepto pose a direct threat to citizens’ health. When food safety is compromised, it is not merely a regulatory issue; it becomes a public health concern. A comprehensive audit of all online food delivery warehouses and dark stores in Pune should be conducted.”
Zirwal admitted that staff shortages have limited proactive inspections but added that the situation has improved. “We have recruited 191 personnel who have completed training and have now been posted. With adequate staff, regular and surprise inspections of dark stores and warehouses will be conducted across the state,” he said.
According to FDA officials, quick commerce companies such as Blinkit, Swiggy, Instamart and Zepto, among others, are currently in great demand and operating through apps in the state. However, there have been complaints about expired food items being delivered through these platforms, posing a potential health risk to consumers. When the FDA on November 28, 2025 inspected a Blinkit dark store in Pimple Gurav following a citizen complaint, no expired products were found during the physical inspection but a scrutiny of company records revealed that expired items had been delivered earlier. The unit was fined ₹2 lakh and a case was registered.
Zirwal further said that the department will hold meetings with the Food Establishment Owners Association and public representatives to ensure compliance with food safety and storage norms. He said stricter enforcement will help prevent recurrence of such incidents and protect consumers.
