In a dramatic development for urban shoppers who rely on doorstep convenience, food safety officials in Bengaluru have seized expired and mislabelled grocery items worth Rs 1.38 crore. The extensive enforcement operation targeted major supply warehouses, including distribution hubs operated by Amazon and Swiggy Instamart, alongside several local retail storage units.
The drive, conducted by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration, was initiated following intelligence gathered from a private "peptide party" organised in the city. Regulators closely examined items sold through digital platforms for compliance with statutory labelling requirements, manufacturing details, expiry dates and essential safety standards. Alongside grocery items, medicines worth Rs 4.02 lakh stored without valid licenses were confiscated, bringing the total seizure to Rs 1.43 crore.
Widespread lapses were uncovered across prominent delivery networks. Across two Amazon hubs in Devanahalli and Anekal, authorities seized stock valued at Rs 56 lakh for inadequate labelling and lapsed expiry dates, as well as unlicensed medicines. At a Swiggy Instamart facility in Hoskote, officials confiscated expired food worth Rs 42 lakh and immediately closed the premises due to unhygienic conditions, with broader findings in the facility estimated near Rs 1 crore.
Local neighbourhood suppliers were also implicated during the raids. Officers inspected Saptha Bazaar in HBR Layout following complaints that the shop purchased groceries, milk, poultry and paneer from online delivery platforms to resell expired stock. In Lingarajapuram, another outlet was sealed after inspectors discovered expired nutritional supplements, confectionery, ghee and nuts worth approximately Rs 56 lakh.
The inspections form part of an intensified citywide campaign monitoring distribution chains, dark stores, hotels and restaurants. Warning notices have been issued to non-compliant units, with officials cautioning that further punitive action under food safety regulations will follow. For everyday shoppers relying on quick commerce apps, the findings offer a stark reminder to check labels vigilantly, verify manufacturing stamps and never take digital grocery freshness for granted.
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