More than 21,000 consumer grievances against online food delivery apps have been registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) over the last five fiscal years, according to Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs, BL Verma.
In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Verma stated that the FSSAI conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspections, and random sampling of food products sold online through e-commerce platforms, hotels, and restaurants.
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, a total of 21,042 complaints were lodged against food delivery apps. The number of complaints has risen significantly in recent years:
- 2024-25: 7,482 complaints
- 2023-24: 4,708 complaints
- 2022-23: 4,321 complaints
- 2021-22: 3,726 complaints
- 2020-21: 805 complaints
During 2023-24, the regulatory body cancelled 502 licenses, suspended 316 licenses, and imposed penalties totaling Rs. 74.12 lakh.
Verma highlighted that FSSAI has a robust mechanism for handling consumer complaints related to adulteration, food safety, substandard quality, labeling defects, and misleading claims. Consumer complaints are registered through multiple channels, including the FSSAI web portal, mobile app, helpline, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. All complaints are consolidated under the Food Safety Connect Portal, which is integrated into the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS).
