Kunal Kamra ask Blinkit CEO to Disclose Delivery Partner Wages, Criticizes Exploitation in Quick Commerce
In a new year post aimed at the quick commerce industry, comedian Kunal Kamra has called out platforms like Blinkit for exploiting gig workers with low wages and grueling working hours. Kamra’s critique of the sector comes after a long public back-and-forth with Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal in 2024, where Kamra raised concerns about customer service issues.
In a new year post aimed at the quick commerce industry, comedian Kunal Kamra has called out platforms like Blinkit for exploiting gig workers with low wages and grueling working hours. Kamra’s critique of the sector comes after a long public back-and-forth with Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal in 2024, where Kamra raised concerns about customer service issues.
Quick commerce platforms, which have gained tremendous popularity in India, are offering ultra-fast deliveries of groceries and household goods through companies like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto. However, while customers appreciate the convenience of these services, Kamra argues that these companies often fail to provide fair compensation and adequate working conditions for their gig workers.
Kamra Takes Aim at Blinkit CEO
On New Year’s Eve 2024, Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa tweeted about the overwhelming number of orders that the platform had to fulfill during the busy holiday period. Among the many stats he shared, Dhindsa revealed that 1.2 lakh packs of condoms and 45,000 bottles of mineral water were on their way to customers.
Kamra, however, was more concerned about the conditions faced by the delivery partners. In a tweet, he asked Dhindsa, “Can you also enlighten us with data on the average wages you paid your ‘Delivery Partners’ in 2024?” His use of quotation marks around the term “delivery partners” highlights a common criticism of such platforms. Critics argue that by calling delivery workers “partners” instead of employees, these companies avoid offering benefits like fair wages, medical insurance, and job security.
The Dark Side of Quick Commerce
In a follow-up post, Kamra elaborated on his concerns, explaining that while the convenience of quick commerce services may seem appealing, it comes at the expense of workers’ well-being. He wrote, “Platform owners exploit gig workers & they aren’t job creators. They are landlords without owning any land.” Kamra criticized the lack of creativity and innovation in the sector, pointing out that these companies simply exploit workers by offering them a semblance of freedom while paying them inadequate wages that fail to meet their needs.
Kamra likened the CEOs of quick commerce companies to “thugs” and argued that they are allowed to continue exploiting gig workers due to a lack of regulation. “They are thugs that are using data as oil without paying for the oil fields. Someday there will be regulation that humbles them,” he wrote.
Kamra’s post quickly gained attention, with over 1.9 lakh views in just a few hours. Other social media users expressed support for Kamra’s views, with many agreeing that gig workers in the quick commerce sector are severely underpaid.
Industry Criticism Continues
Several users echoed Kamra’s criticism of quick commerce companies. “Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato, Swiggy. All of them. Zero creativity- only exploitation,” one user wrote, highlighting the harsh working conditions faced by delivery workers. Another user pointed to statistics showing that more than 50% of gig workers earn below minimum wage after factoring in expenses, despite platforms like Blinkit continuing to grow in valuation.
The outcry from Kamra and other critics has renewed calls for regulation in the gig economy to ensure that workers are treated fairly and paid adequately for their labor. With the quick commerce sector continuing to expand in India, the question remains whether these companies will be forced to reassess their treatment of delivery partners in response to growing public pressure.
Sources By Agencies
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