The Ministry of Consumer Affairs issued a circular on Tuesday directing e-commerce companies to maintain proper hygiene of all last-mile delivery processes in order to safeguard employees and consumers from the Covid-19 virus.
The guidelines follow a March 13 notification from the ministry ordering that surgical masks and hand sanitizers be designated as essential commodities to ensure their wide availability.
“All e-commerce platforms are requested to ensure maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitation of the last-mile delivery personnel, kitchen, parking areas and delivery vehicles,” the ministry said in the circular shared with all e-commerce and retail companies. “All last mile delivery staff suffering symptoms of common cold and flu should be taken off from their duties.”
The ministry also asked online firms to develop an operating procedure to deliver groceries and cooked food for those who are under home quarantine. E-commerce firms were also mandated to ensure that masks and sanitizers sold on their platform are done so at the fixed MRP.
The notification also called for all retailers to restrict the number of items sold to each customer based on demand and supply to avoid hoarding during a panic situation.
It said that the restriction would apply not only to sanitizers and masks but also all essential supplies.
Online delivery firms have already taken several measures to ensure safety of consumers from the spread of the virus.
BigBasket has put in place measures to sanitize all crates in which orders are delivered, while Swiggy and Zomato have enabled no-contact deliveries where consumers can ask delivery agents to leave orders at their doorsteps.
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