Food safety authorities in Bengaluru have intensified inspections of warehouses, dark stores and food-supply facilities operated by online delivery platforms, uncovering expired and improperly labelled products worth ₹1.38 crore.
The enforcement drive by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration focused on whether food products sold through e-commerce and quick-commerce channels complied with mandatory requirements relating to labelling, manufacturing dates, expiry dates, shelf life, storage and handling.
What Did Officials Find?
During the inspections, authorities seized food products worth approximately ₹1.38 crore. Of this amount, around ₹33 lakh consisted of products with incorrect or inadequate labelling, while approximately ₹1.05 crore worth of expired or near-expiry food products was seized.
Officials also seized medicines worth around ₹4.02 lakh that were allegedly being stored without the required licences.
Inspections at Online Delivery Facilities
The enforcement action included facilities associated with major online delivery platforms.
At facilities in Devanahalli and Anekal, officials found expired and improperly labelled food products. The inspections also identified medicines allegedly being stored without the necessary licences.
A facility in Hoskote, Bengaluru Rural, was also inspected. Officials seized approximately ₹42 lakh worth of expired food products and closed the facility after finding unhygienic conditions and violations of food-safety requirements. Authorities said their investigation into the facility was continuing, with expired and mislabelled products estimated at around ₹1 crore during the investigation.
Expired Food Found at Local Retailers
The crackdown extended beyond large online delivery operations.
At a retailer in HBR Layout, officials found expired products including biscuits, ragi flour, chicken patties, paneer, cookies, nuts, eggs and flour. Approximately ₹10,000 worth of expired food was seized.
Another establishment in Lingarajapuram was found to have expired and near-expiry products across categories such as nutritional products, beverages, chocolates, sweets, ghee, nuts and seeds. The premises were subsequently seized.
Why Food Storage and Labelling Matter
The latest inspections highlight the importance of maintaining proper food storage systems throughout the supply chain.
For consumers, expiry dates, manufacturing information, shelf-life details and accurate product labels provide essential information when deciding whether a product is safe and suitable for consumption.
Poor storage conditions can also affect food quality and safety, particularly for products that require controlled temperatures or hygienic handling.
A Wider Food Safety Crackdown
The Bengaluru inspections form part of a broader food-safety enforcement push in India. Recent regulatory actions have focused on restaurants, warehouses, dark stores and packaged-food businesses, with authorities increasingly scrutinising hygiene, labelling and food-handling practices.
The developments also highlight the growing challenge of regulating India's rapidly expanding quick-commerce and online food-distribution ecosystem.
What Consumers Should Check
Consumers can take a few simple precautions when ordering groceries and packaged foods online:
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Check the expiry or best-before date before consuming a product.
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Look for complete and legible manufacturing and labelling information.
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Avoid products with damaged, leaking or visibly compromised packaging.
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Follow storage instructions printed on the package.
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Be particularly careful with perishable products such as dairy, meat and ready-to-eat foods.
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Report suspicious or expired products to the relevant platform and food-safety authorities.
Conclusion
The seizure of ₹1.38 crore worth of expired and mislabelled food products in Bengaluru underlines the importance of strong food-safety controls across every stage of the supply chain.
As online grocery and quick-commerce services become an increasingly important part of everyday shopping, maintaining proper storage, accurate labelling and strict expiry-date controls will be essential for protecting consumers and maintaining confidence in digital food delivery.
