Blinkit drops ‘10-minute’ pitch; Zomato says model unchanged, analysts see no hit to growth

Blinkit’s decision to drop its widely used “10-minute delivery” tagline following regulatory discussions is unlikely to materially affect volumes, growth, or consumer behaviour, according to brokerage Elara Capital. The move, analysts say, is largely optics-driven and does not alter the core proposition of quick commerce, which continues to rest on speed, convenience, and proximity-based fulfilment.

The change has also drawn a formal response from Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato), which owns Blinkit. In a filing to the BSE, the company said there has been “no change in business model that could have any material impact” on the company. 

“We would like to clarify that there is no development in the Company that warrants any disclosure under Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, 2015 (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. Specifically with respect to our quick commerce business Blinkit, there is no change in business model that could have any material impact on the Company. Hope this clarifies,” the filing read. 

Eternal added that there had been no sharp share price movement following media report.

Elara believes the branding tweak will have little to no bearing on user intent, especially in metro markets where quick commerce has already become habitual. “The removal of the 10-minute delivery catchline is largely optics-driven rather than business-altering,” said Karan Taurani, EVP at Elara Capital. “The proposition of quick commerce continues to be anchored in speed, convenience, and proximity-led fulfillment, which remains structurally superior to horizontal e-commerce timelines.”

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More marketing than mandate

The 10-minute claim was always more of a marketing device than a contractual commitment. Unlike Domino’s historic “30 minutes or free” guarantee, there was never a fixed obligation tied to the delivery time. Delivery windows on quick commerce apps are dynamic, influenced by distance from dark stores, traffic conditions, weather, and real-time rider availability, according to Taurani.

Platforms, including Blinkit, have consistently maintained that riders are not mandated to meet hard timelines, with safety and traffic considerations explicitly prioritised. Taurani said the removal of the benchmark could even be neutral-to-positive for the sector. “While the tagline acted as a performance yardstick, its absence may be neutral for weaker operators and beneficial for strong executors focused on consistency over marketing claims,” he said.

As it stands, the competitive intensity in the space remains unchanged. “Quick commerce players cannot afford complacency. Maintaining superior delivery times is still critical to defending share against traditional e-commerce,” Taurani said, adding that execution will increasingly separate winners from the rest as the channel matures.

The brokerage estimates that typical quick commerce deliveries still land within 20–30 minutes, which remains materially faster than horizontal e-commerce timelines. “The core intent — immediacy and convenience — does not hinge on a hard ‘10-minute’ promise,” Taurani said.

Regulatory push and evolving playbook

The backdrop to Blinkit’s rebranding is a series of discussions between the Union labour ministry and senior executives from delivery and quick commerce platforms. The conversations, led by labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya, focused on gig worker safety and working conditions. One of the outcomes was a push to remove explicit delivery deadlines and related branding that could exert undue pressure on riders.

Also read — Labour ministry proposes 90-day annual work threshold for gig worker social security

Blinkit has already updated its principal tagline from “10,000+ products in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep,” signalling a shift in emphasis from speed to assortment.

Analysts believe heightened regulatory and public scrutiny could actually benefit scaled players. “This is likely to accelerate investments in backend efficiency, routing algorithms, and store operations, which favours well-capitalised platforms,” Taurani said.

Also to be noted, awareness of quick commerce is already deeply entrenched in metro markets, which account for the bulk of gross merchandise value. “The tagline played a significant role in post-Covid channel discovery. But metro markets now exhibit high awareness and habitual usage, limiting any downside risk,” Taurani said.

In smaller cities, platforms may pivot towards more localised brand-building and execution-led campaigns rather than relying on headline delivery claims.