Swiggy Fined ₹35,000 for Inflating Delivery Distance, Ordered to Refund Customer

Swiggy, a prominent food delivery app, has been fined ₹35,000 by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Ranga Reddy, Telangana, after a Hyderabad resident accused the company of artificially increasing delivery distance to overcharge on fees. The court’s decision followed a complaint by Emmadi Suresh Babu, who alleged that Swiggy altered the distance on his November 1, 2023, order from 9.7 km to 14 km, resulting in an additional charge of ₹103 despite his Swiggy One membership, which promised free delivery within a set distance.

The commission reviewed evidence provided by Babu, including Google Maps screenshots, and concluded that Swiggy had indeed inflated the delivery distance. Swiggy did not attend the hearings, leading the court to proceed ex parte. In its ruling, the commission ordered Swiggy to refund the ₹350.48 order cost with 9% interest from the filing date, along with the ₹103 delivery fee.

Further penalties include ₹5,000 each for mental distress and litigation expenses, and a ₹25,000 punitive payment to the Consumer Welfare Fund. Swiggy has 45 days to comply with the order and is required to stop distance inflation for Swiggy One members.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright