The Impact of Quick-Commerce on Physical Stores

This research explores the profound and multifaceted impact of quick commerce platforms—such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart—on India’s traditional retail landscape, particularly local kirana stores. With promises of 10-minute deliveries and seamless digital convenience, these platforms have rapidly altered consumer behaviour, created new supply chain ecosystems, and challenged the sustainability of small-format retail. The study employs a mixed-method approach: quantitative insights from a structured survey of 41 consumers across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas; and qualitative findings from 41 interviews with local grocery, chemist, and stationery shopkeepers in locations including Greater Noida and parts of rural Uttar Pradesh. These are supplemented by extensive secondary research drawn from government reports, market analyses, and credible news and media sources, including AICPDF, JM Financial, NIQ Shopper Trends, and investigative YouTube reports by Palki Sharma and Kavya Karnatak. Findings reveal that q-commerce is driving habit change, especially among youth and urban households, shifting shopping patterns from monthly stock-ups to frequent, on-demand micro purchases. This behavioural shift has resulted in declining footfall and economic distress for many kirana stores, with an estimated ₹10,600 crore loss in 2023 and over 2 lakh store closures. Additionally, issues such as unfair competition, predatory pricing, weak food regulation, exploitative gig work, and digital inequality were observed. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for stakeholders, including kirana store modernisation, stronger food safety enforcement, support for ethical labour practices, and public education on the hidden costs of convenience. It also calls for policy attention to preserve inclusive retail growth in India, along with future research on the long-term effects of q commerce on consumer loyalty, health, and the environment.