Quick-commerce company Zepto has increased its minimum order value for free delivery. The threshold has moved from ₹149 to ₹199. Therefore, customers now need a ₹199 cart value to avoid delivery charges.
After this change, Zepto’s free-delivery threshold matches Blinkit and Instamart. However, peak-demand hours can push the minimum order value to ₹299. Consequently, customers may need larger carts during busy periods.
The company now wants to increase average basket value alongside order numbers. This approach could help reduce expenses linked with every delivery. Smaller orders can make packaging and delivery costs harder to recover.
Therefore, customers may add more products to their carts for free delivery. The new rule could especially affect people who depend on quick-commerce platforms for smaller purchases.
Zomato packaging changes could raise food delivery costs
Ordering food through Zomato could become 10% to 30% more expensive. This increase could apply when restaurants use sustainable and biodegradable packaging materials.
Zomato Chief Sustainability Officer Anjali Ravi Kumar explained the potential cost impact. She said moving away from plastic packaging could increase customer expenses.
Currently, most food deliveries use plastic containers or plastic wrapping materials. Packaging generally accounts for around 5% of an order’s total price. Customers usually bear that expense.
However, the company is considering more environmentally friendly packaging options. Anjali Kumar said two factors will shape this shift. Environmental concerns and customers’ ability to pay will both influence the decision.
As a result, online delivery costs could change through separate pricing pressures. Zepto has raised its free-delivery threshold, while Zomato faces higher packaging costs.
