India’s quick commerce boom, led by Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, has redrawn the country’s retail map. The sector logged a gross order value of $7.4 billion in FY2024–25, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 142% over the past three years. The same report projects the market to touch ₹2 lakh crore by FY28. These numbers capture the velocity of change: millions of urban consumers have embraced the promise of 10–20 minute deliveries, reshaping shopping habits across income groups. Q-commerce is not merely about convenience. It represents the growing dominance of platform-driven business models that fuse technology, logistics, and consumer behaviour. But the boom also raises questions about its contribution to jobs, skills, and the larger economy.
While growth numbers dazzle, the economics remain shaky. Most quick commerce firms run at a loss, subsidising deliveries through discounts and free shipping to build scale. Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart have raised billions in venture capital, but their path to profitability is uncertain. Analysts argue that the model is viable only in dense urban pockets with high order frequency. Without sustainable margins, the sector risks consolidation or a shakeout, much like India’s food-delivery sector a few years ago.
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Youth employment and Q-commerce
The latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (August 2025) shows headline unemployment dipping marginally to 5.1% from 5.2% a month earlier. Yet youth unemployment remains stubbornly high at above 10% nationally, and 15.6% in urban areas. Against this backdrop, Q-commerce has emerged as a fallback for young job seekers. Riders with two-wheelers and smartphones find immediate entry into the workforce, providing them with quick incomes at a time when formal jobs remain scarce.
While these jobs offer instant relief, they rarely create pathways to long-term employability. Delivery work is repetitive and linear: pick, drop, repeat. Unlike apprenticeships or skill-based occupations, the work does little to sharpen capabilities or prepare workers for better-paying roles. What powers India’s fast-delivery economy risks slowing down the career growth of the very workers who make it possible.
Beyond limited career growth, the conditions of work raise sharper questions. Delivery riders often endure long hours, fluctuating pay driven by algorithms, and the constant pressure of 10-minute deadlines. Social security, accident insurance, and minimum wage protections remain patchy despite promises under India’s new labour codes. Q-commerce has become a safety valve for youth unemployment, but without stronger protections, it risks institutionalising precarity rather than creating dignified work.
The boom has also strained urban infrastructure. Thousands of two-wheelers racing against delivery clocks contribute to congestion, pollution, and road accidents. Despite government nudges, the adoption of electric vehicles in this space is limited. Unless platforms make the transition to greener fleets, the convenience of instant delivery could come at the cost of worsening urban air quality and higher accident rates — externalities rarely captured in the glowing growth figures.
Gender gap in quick commerce jobs
The problem is compounded by a stark gender imbalance. The same PLFS data highlights that while female labour force participation has inched up marginally, women remain underrepresented in new-age employment. Quick commerce mirrors this trend. Safety concerns, lack of inclusive infrastructure, and entrenched social norms keep women off the roads. The workforce remains overwhelmingly male, undermining claims of inclusive growth. A sector that thrives on the rhetoric of youth empowerment risks sounding hollow when half the young population remains largely invisible.
The rise of Q-commerce also unsettles India’s retail ecosystem, long dominated by over 12 million kirana stores. While some kiranas have tied up with platforms as last-mile partners, many face shrinking footfalls. In smaller towns, where margins are thinner, the entry of well-capitalised Q-commerce firms could erode traditional livelihoods. The political economy of this disruption — kiranas remain a key constituency for every party — is likely to shape how far Q-commerce can extend beyond metros.
Demographic dividend at risk
India’s demographic advantage is well recognised: 10–12 million people join the workforce annually, with an average age under 32 years. This is in sharp contrast to developed economies grappling with ageing populations and shrinking labour pools. Yet, the dividend can quickly turn into a liability if the expanding young workforce is absorbed largely into low-skill, low-mobility jobs.
Quick commerce-commerce epitomises this risk. Left unchecked, it could consign millions of young workers to a cycle of short-term earnings without long-term progression. The model rewards speed and scale, but it does little to expand human capital.
Beyond gig work: The way forward
The regulatory backdrop is still evolving. Consumer safety, data privacy, and antitrust concerns loom large as a handful of firms consolidate market power. Policymakers are also grappling with where gig work fits within India’s labour framework. If unaddressed, weak oversight could create systemic risks — from counterfeit products slipping through to monopolistic practices that stifle competition. The test for Q-commerce will not only be about speed of delivery but also about how responsibly the sector is governed.
For Quick commerce to prove its worth beyond being a stopgap employer, platforms must invest in skill development and diversify their workforce. Structured training, certifications, and linkages to other service sectors could help workers transition into higher-paying roles. Companies like Urban Company and Yes Madam offer examples of integrating skill-building into platform-based models.
If platforms continue to equate opportunity with a helmet, a bike, and an endless stream of deliveries, the “quick money” economy will hit a ceiling. The sector’s long-term success will depend on whether it can evolve from being an instant employer of last resort to a catalyst for building a skilled and diverse workforce. Only then can India’s demographic dividend translate into durable economic gain.
Dr Vandana Sehgal and Dr Ila Joshi are Assistant Professors at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida.