Food

DID YOU KNOW THE NEW FSSAI GUIDELINES FOR ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY PLATFORMS?  

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently taken decisive steps to ensure the quality of online food delivery near you services. Following frequent customer complaints, it has introduced new guidelines for companies like Swiggy that provide such services. This was essential in maintaining hygiene standards for all establishments involved in the online food delivery business. With new norms for e-commerce food companies, the FSSAI aims to build a robust system of checks and balances to ensure that customers get precisely what they expect. They have made it mandatory for the companies to display licenses issued by the FSSAI on their websites and mobile applications. Additionally, there will be regular inspections of the kitchens and other premises of the online food delivery companies to verify compliance with food safety standards. 

What are the new guidelines for online food delivery platforms in India? 

1. Food can be intercepted at any point – With new guidelines, online food delivery near you has become more secure than ever. The new regulations have ensured that customers get high-quality food with utmost hygiene, which is why online food ordering and delivery is a preferred option over traditional dining out in many cases. Customers can choose from various cuisines according to their preferences and enjoy the convenience of getting food delivered right to their doorstep within minutes. The new guidelines have made it possible for everyone to enjoy delicious meals without worrying about the food’s quality or hygiene. 

2. To Add Indicative Images Of The Food As the online food delivery near you continues to grow, it has become increasingly important to provide customers with tools to confidently purchase the items they expect. Adding images of the foods the restaurants are serving is a must-have which needs to be added to the website platforms. Furthermore, this measure will also improve customer satisfaction as customers feel more confident in their online purchases and are more likely to become return customers. As a result, this change provides an excellent opportunity for digital food businesses to increase their customer base. In conclusion, indicative images of the food being sold on e-commerce websites are crucial for businesses to provide a better service and experience to their customers. 

3. All online food sellers must adhere to the FSSAI Act. This includes important details like expiry dates of packed food, source of ingredients, manufacturing or packaging date, etc. Sellers need to provide the correct information to customers to ensure that all food items are safe for consumption and within the standards prescribed by FSSAI. As per the Act, all sellers must ensure that all information, such as nutrition facts, storage instructions, etc., is readily available on their websites. This helps customers make an informed decision when buying any food item from an online store. Furthermore, any seller who fails to comply with the FSSAI Act will face legal action, which includes hefty fines or even imprisonment. Consequently, all online food sellers near you must take necessary steps to comply with the Act as soon as possible to avoid any penalties or legal repercussions. 

4. Deliver Fresh Food With A Remaining Shelf Life – The online food industry has been recently experiencing a boom in popularity, but it has also been facing several safety issues regarding the quality of products. Thus, new guidelines have been released to ensure customers’ safety and their trust in the industry. It is mentioned in these guidelines that online food delivery services can deliver foods only which has thirty percent of the remaining shelf life or are not older than forty-five days. This is to ensure that consumers do not receive expired food products. While this may slightly increase the cost of delivery for e-commerce websites, it is essential for maintaining customer satisfaction and safety and building a positive reputation for the online food industry. It is also vital for businesses to inform customers about the source and expiration dates of the food items they are purchasing to further ensure safety. Moreover, if businesses fail to abide by these rules, they risk facing legal action from regulatory bodies. Therefore, all the retailers in online food delivery service must adhere to these new guidelines so that customers can enjoy a safe and reliable online shopping experience. 

5. Only Trained Personnel Should Handle And Deliver The Food – Online food delivery services have become immensely popular, and with it comes the responsibility of ensuring that all delivery executives handle the food with utmost care. To ensure this, there are clear guidelines for the delivery executives to follow. According to these guidelines, only trained personnel should do the handling and delivering of  the foods. This will reduce the chances of careless handling and maintain hygiene standards. Moreover, by adhering to these guidelines, online food ordering companies can also boost their customer’s trust in their services. By ensuring safety and hygiene standards, customers can be assured that their order is safe and will reach them in satisfactory condition. As the search for ‘online food delivery near you’ is rapidly increasing, all stakeholders must adhere to the guidelines and take necessary precautions to ensure that customers get their orders in an acceptable condition. 

6. When ordering online food, safety should always remain the top priority. From the moment the food is prepared to its delivery, the utmost caution should be observed to ensure that it reaches the consumer in the best condition. It is essential to verify the hygiene factors of a food outlet and its ingredients before placing an order. The food delivered should also be regularly checked for quality and temperature. There should be no alteration in the food quality during transit, and it should be delivered within the stipulated time. Online food outlets must have a clear return policy and should take immediate action in case of any discrepancy. 

Summary – The online food delivery service is a rapidly growing sector in India, and Swiggy has been at the forefront of this trend. To ensure that all its partner restaurants adhere to the highest safety standards set by the FSSAI, it requires that all partner businesses register for an FSSAI Food Safety License before launching on its platform. This ensures that customers are offered quality and hygienic food when they order online through the platform. The FSSAI license acts as an assurance to both Swiggy and its customers that the restaurant is compliant with health and safety standards. Thus, ensuring compliance with FSSAI standards ensures that its customers always enjoy a safe, convenient and satisfying online food experience. 

Related Articles

Leave a Reply