Quick commerce companies are indulging in practices of deep discounts and exclusive supply/distribution agreements, thereby engaging in unfair pricing and affecting the competition, the petition said.
The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) has filed a petition with the antitrust regulator Competition Commission of India against quick commerce players Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto alleging deep discounting and predatory pricing.
The petition, which was filed by the distributor body on February 28, accuses the quick commerce apps of selling products at a discount of at least 50% to the price sold in traditional trade and modern trade outlets, putting both offline stores and distributors at a disadvantage, and impacting their business.
“The price they sell the goods are almost at a 50% discount. This means, either the companies are burning cash, or they are being given this discount by the FMCG companies. If companies are the ones funding this discount, then why are quick commerce platforms, which today account only 9% of trade overall, being given this preference over traditional or modern trade? This amounts to an unfair trade practice,”
a source in the distributor body told CNBC-TV18.
The source added that AICPDF has submitted proof of 25 products sold on these platforms to demonstrate deep discounting, predatory pricing and potential exclusive distribution agreements.
AICPDF, over the past few months has been vocal against the rapid growth of quick commerce platforms and potential violation of competitive norms. It alsowrote to CCI in October 2024 urging probe into Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto. It had also written to the ministry of commerce to take notice of the same.
Source: CNBC-TV18
