E-com companies expect minimum impact from new restrictions

E-commerce firms expect Maharashtra’s new COVID-related restrictions to have minimal impact on their operations.

As per Economic Times, the Maharashtra government ordered delivery and supply chain staff of e-commerce companies to either get vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR test report, starting April 10

Hari Menon, Co-founder and CEO, BigBasket, said, the company has reached out to the state authorities to understand if they would be organizing camps for mass testing of their workforce, or if they’d give any special permission to allow vaccination of last-mile delivery agents.

Grofers said it was adhering to all the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines laid down by the government. The retailer is conducting regular testing for all Its frontline team members. Online food ordering companies Swiggy and Zomato, which have a combined workforce of around 55,000 delivery agents in the state, have requested the government to extend the timelines for RT-PCR test for delivery partners.

Swiggy is also urging its delivery partners to get RT-PCR test done and that it will cover the cost. It had announced last week that it will cover the vaccination cost of its 200,000 delivery partners.

However, these companies might rejig their delivery personnel deployment after gauging market demand over the next week, as working hours for restaurants have been restricted.