Zomato's Shift to Red Uniforms Sparks Debate

By siliconindia  |  Wednesday, 20 March 2024, 23:05 IST

Zomato's Shift to Red Uniforms Sparks Debate
Zomato, a leading food delivery platform, has announced a significant change ahead of the Holi festival. The company has decided to alter its delivery fleet's colors from green to red, even for vegetarian orders, sparking a colorful debate on social media.
Founder-CEO Deepinder Goyal made the announcement, accompanied by a detailed explanation for the move, which has garnered mixed reactions. Going forward, Zomato's dedicated fleet of vehicles, previously green, will now be painted red, serving vegetarian orders exclusively. Additionally, all delivery riders, including those serving non-vegetarian orders, will sport the red color, eliminating on-ground segregation.
Goyal justified the decision by highlighting concerns about the safety of delivery partners. He expressed worries that the red-uniformed delivery partners might be wrongly associated with non-vegetarian food, potentially risking their physical safety due to objections from resident welfare associations or housing societies.
Acknowledging previous incidents where non-vegetarian food smells affected subsequent orders, Goyal defended the separate 'green fleet' initiative. He emphasized that this measure aims to cater strictly to dietary preferences and is not based on caste or religion.
However, the move has prompted questions and concerns from various quarters. Shaik Salauddin, President of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, raised questions about potential discrimination in selecting riders for the 'pure-veg fleet.' He referenced a previous incident where Zomato supported a minority community rider facing discrimination from a customer.
Responding to criticism, Goyal assured that the company is open to feedback and willing to take necessary actions. Social media users also chimed in, citing statistics from the National Family Health Survey-5, indicating that only 19% of Indians are 'pure vegetarians,' with varying percentages across states and Union Territories.
The move by Zomato reflects its efforts to address customer concerns and ensure the safety and satisfaction of both customers and delivery partners, amid a diverse and evolving food delivery landscape.

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